Troubled Love
by Blue Girl98
Summary: Edward, a street rat, has it hard. One day he meets a mysterious girl in the forest. He goes to help her when she's in need of it. After he follows her, what he finds out changes a lot. Bella, a princess, has it easy; she doesn't like it. So set in her decision, she goes over the castle wall, and meets a boy. Edward gets an offer that will change a lot of things. First story!
1. Reliving the Past

**A/N:** This is my first story, so please don't be mean in the reviews, I'm trying my best here.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, or anything else you might recognize that I write about. Everything belongs to the intended owner of them.

So, without further ado, here it is.

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Troubled Love

Chapter 1

EPOV

"Seth?" I said, while creeping around the side of the crate facing the wall.

"Where are you Seth?" I whispered again, still trying to stay hidden from the guards. I've been hiding from the guards for about ten minutes, when Seth disappeared from my shoulder.

`_Stupid monkey, `_ I thought.

It has been about twenty minutes since he disappeared, and I'm still searching for that monkey, who is my only companion for the last four years.

All of a sudden, something, out of nowhere, landed on my shoulder.

I jumped and panicked for a second, when I thought it was a hand.

Then I saw the furry tail in my line of vision, and I relaxed some when I recognized it.

"Seth! There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been, you monkey?" knowing full well he wasn't going to answer, but asked anyway, in a subdued voice; one that wouldn't carry. All I got in return was a a screech, from the old acquaintance sitting on my shoulder.

I rounded the corner of the crate of the wall I was hiding behind. Planning on slipping into the dark night, unseen; going to my rooftop place, I started moving, stealthily.

But I should have known better to believe that was ever going to happen. _'Just wishful thinking,' _I thought, annoyed.

My head snapped to the end of the alleyway I was in, when I heard: "Hey! There he is!" What I saw, made me freeze, dead in my tracks.

There, at the end of the alleyway, my only way out, stood the very four guards I had been running from. What was worse was what they were holding.

Swords.

Very long, shiny, very real, silver swords; not just a mirage imaginary by my imagination. Each of them had one, and they were all looking my way.

_'Coward,' _I thought when I felt Seth use my shoulder fir leverage, to jump off and make his getaway; leaving me there to fend for myself, with four angry, muscular guards, with their shiny swords.

Turning around the other way to run, and stopping myself just before I ran into the brick wall, and ultimately, stomping on my getaway plan.

_'This is really, really, really bad,' _was about the only thing going through my head at that moment, while the guards increased their pace, running at me with their sharp-ended swords, pointed right at me: their target. So, with nothing else to do, I followed their example and started charging at my opponent: them.

As I was running I took notice of their appearance and little things about them, regularly, other people would have missed.

The one who spotted me first, was a foot taller than my 6"2'.He had curly brown hair, that went right below his ears, almost touching his shoulders but managing not to. His eyes ware sharp; they started with a dark brown on the outside and lightened to a light blue in the middle. You could tell he was in charge by the way he held himself: tall and proud, with his sword in his right hand, leading the way towards me.

Along with his tall stature, he had muscle: a lot. It was almost like he could crush me easily with just one hit from his hand. I was wary of him instantly. It didn't look like he had a soft side; '_although, that could just mean he didn't like me._

_He is trying to kill me, after all,'_ I was thinking slightly, mockingly bemused. But I could tell he was a softy when he wanted to be, by the laugh lines on the side of both his eyes.

The second guy, behind the first, was about my height. He might have possibly have an inch or two on me. It's hard to tell when you're running, your head bobbing up and down. He had dark brown hair, almost black, and went to right above his ears. He had semi-cod, grey eyes, but they had a sort of welcoming feeling to them. His built was muscular, but not so much as the first guy, with curly brown hair. He held his sword in his left hand, but could tell, by his running, favored his right side, more. He didn't look like he had any laugh lines around his eyes, unlike the first guy, the leader. Although, if you were to look hard enough, you could see the ghost of some lines.

The guy behind him looked nicer, friendlier.

The friendly looking guy had shaggy, dirty blond looking, which fell handsomely around his lively looking light blue eyes. He had a tall and lean figure, but he still looked really strong with his lack of physical muscle. You could tell he was very much centered, didn't favor either side; and was very light on his feet.

He looked like a fighter. And a great one at that.

That's what scared me most about him. Though, he had this warm, friendly, inviting aura about him, which welcomed you in. He seemed very in control, and calculating every move. Very strategic. Like me.

The guy behind him was the worst of all, it looked like.

He had black, midnight colored hair, with cold ruthless, eyes, the darkest of dark brown eyes. He was tall and muscular, puffing out his chest, to emphasize his muscles. Even more tall and more muscular than the first one.

He towered over me alarmingly, and the other guards, that all my senses were telling me to get away as fast as possible. It all spelled one word: Danger.

The way he held his sword, in his right hand, you could tell he was very talented with it; although, it looked like he could switch to his left hand, at any time, if need be.

I took all this in within a matter of a few steps; and the distance between me and them, shortening, at an alarming rate.

There was minimal space in the alleyway, now.

When I got to the first guy, I ducked under his arm, and moved on to the next, with grace.

The second one grabbed me, but twisted free, and tripped him, while he tried to keep up with the twist in mid-twist.

The friendly looking one, was expecting me, and in return, on guard. He was a little harder. He swung the butt of his sword toward my shoulder, but me sensing it, leaned back, and shot forward. But what I didn't sense, was that he was expecting that. He swung his sword forward, toward me.

At the last second, the scary guy, bind the one with the swinging sword, grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me away, before I could get slashed open with the sword. He attempted to pin me against the alley wall, but Seth, my ever faithful monkey- companion, shot forward toward the guy attempting the pinning, and pushed him, with his tiny body, toward the Dirty Blond guy's sword as he swung back around, from his first attempt.

Scary Dude roared in pain and held his cheek Dirty Blond slashed his sword with; and, although I couldn't see it, could tell it was going to leave a scar.

As the men were distracted, Seth-who was on Scary Dude's shoulder the whole time- latched onto my arm, and I started running, silently, into the night. The only sound from the cry of a big guy cut.

*~~~…~~~*

As I climbed the side of the wall -for exercise, because the building is deserted- from up the boxes, and in through the abandoned doorway of the balcony, I think over what my life has become and how it came to be that way.

I went over to my mat on the floor in the corner of my spacey place. It's technically not _my_ place, but since it was abandoned, I took it as my own, and started living here.

Seth who had been on my back the whole time, got off when I reached the balcony, still swung there, on the torn drapes, covering the town, and view on the back of the palace, about a mile away from my abandoned building.

I've lived in this abandoned building since my dad left me seven years ago, when I was ten, to go and explore the world, leaving me by myself and my uncle. My mom died when I was two years old, left me with my dad and her brother, Edward Sir. and Uncle Anthony. Mom, Elizabeth Mason, was always traveling with her brother; they loved each other a lot. So it was only rational for me to love Uncle Anthony; we were the best of friends. I was named after both of them; Edward Anthony Mason. One day we were out getting food (that's stealing for people like us, street rats) and the guards showed up, unexpectedly. They got him, because he was getting older, but not me. I was too quick, but graceful. He disappeared after that; never saw him again, doubt I ever will. I haven't seen him since I was thirteen.

4 years ago.

Since then, 4 years ago, I've been living on my own, with Seth, also. I got him when I was ten from my father just before he left. He helped me, my uncle, and some of my street rat friends. My street rat friends, John and Noah, and I did performances when my father left; of course Uncle Anthony helped too. But he didn't participate in the actual performance; he was off to the side, pretending he was watching us, but pit-pocketed the people actually watching. We called it close one day. One day I remember all too well.

_~~Flashback~~_

_"Hey, Seth, how are you doing, you monkey of a friend?" Noah asked, walking up to me and the monkey, trying to pat him on the head; but failing._

_"Dude, did you ever find out what you did to make the monkey hate you, to try and take off your head when you try to do something as pat it on the head? Hey, Seth," John jokingly asked him, coming up, and succeeding pat Seth._

_We all burst out laughing at the lame, but true statement._

_Still trying to catch my breath, I said,"I don't think anybody will ever understand Seth as long as he lives. Plus," I add in a joking tone of voice," didn't he just automatically hate you first time he set eyes on you?"_

_"Maybe," Noah grumbled, making us all laugh at his expense, again._

_"OK, let's get started boys," Uncle Anthony says, walking up behind the building we usually meet at._

_We all start walking out to do our thing. John goes first as a solo act; acting like a mime. Then I join in and pretend to mess up the act, but before it gets out of hand, Noah comes in; all the while Uncle Anthony, deep in his trench coat he stole from a clothing line, goes around knocking in to people paying attention to our acting. Seth, the crazy swinging guy, runs -as much as a monkey can run – around us a couple times, sometimes coming in and hitting one of us, and just basically there to look cute and funny._

_After Noah comes, we start fighting, but fake the hitting, because we don't actually want to hit one another, but try to recreate the sounds like we are hitting each other. We eventually get behind the building, and end our act once the audience can't see us. John, still in front this whole time on the ground, comes back with the hat full of coins, marking our earnings for the day, minus what uncle has. When he does come back, we split it between the four of us and Seth._

_"We did pretty well today guys."_

_"Well? Oh, come on! We did a-m-a-z-i-n-g, Uncle Anthony!" I exclaim, because we did do amazing today, we got more than usual. I admit, it wasn't that much more, but it was more so than normal._

_"Listen here, Edward; don't get so cocky, or you may end up regretting it. Cockiness equals one thing: Over confidence. And if you have too much confidence: then good luck to you. So when I say we did well today, I mean we did well. End of discussion, period. Now, why don't we split it?" he asks, you could say I felt properly chastised after that little speech. Without waiting for an answer, he grabs everything and starts dividing it; everything he got, we got and the stuff Seth snatched. Seth, while people are watching the show, goes around and starts picking the jewelry girls are wearing and the valuables any people are wearing, also._

_After we're done, we go our separate ways, after we set up the next sham-slash-show and where to meet. I go with my uncle and Seth on my shoulder, while John and Noah goes their way, opposite the way were going._

_"Hey! You kids there! Come back here! You took what's ours and we want it back!" We heard what sounded like the audience we had were on their way. When we turned around, Seth tightened his tail on my neck to where he was almost choking me. Behind us, I was correct, was the audience and two guards. The guards started running at John and Noah, when they started sprinting down the way to their place they shared together. Uncle Anthony and I started sprinting down the other way fast, but not so fast that it made sound and brought attention to ourselves._

_We made it back to our place, holding our breaths to make sure no one followed us, and let it out when we heard nothing but silence. "That was a close one; I hope the guys are alright."_

_"Yeah," I agreed, still in a daze, and breathless, about almost being caught. That could have been us._

_"Hey, Edward, that just goes to show we should have been more careful. If you think about it that goes to prove my point; don't be over confident. There's always still that chance we could get caught. Learn from what just happened today."_

_"OK, uncle," I agree, trying my best to mean it, but not quite making it sound believable._

'My uncle is always such the optimistic person,'_ I think, while shaking my head mentally._

_"Don't just shake off this experience or my words, you mark them, mark them." He says seriously –with a sort of mad undertone, if you knew him well like I did- shaking his pointer finger at me, like a parent would a child. And if you think about it, he sort of was in a way._

_If only I knew in a months' time I was going to be taking those words he spoke to heart…_

_~~End of Flashback~~_

I got up and changed into my bed wear, and got into bed.

'_If only I knew then,'_ I thought shaking my head. "Night night, Seth," I laid my head down and fell asleep, thinking of my beloved uncle. '_If only I knew.'_

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**A/N: **OK, there you are, I hope some liked it, if not, oh well, I can't please everyone. Leave a review, let me know if you liked it, loved it, hated it, I don't care, I just want to know. If you like it, but have questions, please feel free to PM me. Please keep in mind that this is my first story, so please, only constructive criticism.

~Cynthia~


	2. Waiting

**A/N: **Sorry it took so long I couldn't quite figure out how to post he a new chapter. But don't worry I figured out how to obviously; my friend helped me.

**Disclaimer: **SM owns all!

Here's the next chapter: Enjoy!

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Troubled Love

Chapter 2

BPOV

I walked through the halls of the white palace, with Jacob at my heels, following me.

"Princess!" A familiar voice shouted, the way I just came, mockingly.

I turned around seeing my guards; Jasper and Emmet. Emmett's the one who shouted, because he loved teasing me, and mostly anyone, all the time.

"Hey, Bella," Jasper said, shaking his head in amusement, then trying to get his hair out of the way of his eyes.

Jacob started growling all of a sudden at Emmett. Jacob hated Emmett with a passion, because Emmett always played pranks on my wolf, and Jacob didn't care for it much.

"Aw, come on! I did nothing wrong, this time!" Emmett said, offended that the wolf didn't like him much.

"This time," I reminded him.

"What do you want, anyways?" I snapped, annoyed to be interrupted on my peaceful walk through the quiet part of the palace.

"What got you so uptight?" He asked. Without waiting for me to answer he went on, "your father wanted to come and het you. He wanted to talk with you."

I sighed, annoyed. '_What did I do this time?' _I thought, following them.

"So…" Emmett stated.

"Em, d-, "Jasper started, but didn't get to finish.

"What did you do?!" Emmett shouted, effectively cutting off Jasper.

"I don't know what I did!" I snapped, defensively, "I'll just have to go find out; won't I?"

We walked the rest of the way in silence.

When I knocked on the door, I heard Charlie, my father's gruff voice call out a "come in" in response.

I walked into my father's office, warily.

I approached his desk, at the side of the room, and sat down on one of his desk-side chairs. He didn't start talking 'till he got done with what he was writing and sat down his pen. "So, Bella, you're probably wandering why I called you in here, correct?" At my nod, Charlie continued, "I called you in here to talk about your future."

I was completely on guard now, but also very curious. So I asked: "What about my future, did you wasn't to talk about?"

"I mean about the part of your future, when I'm not there to take care of you anymore," He replied calmly.

I felt my race turn into a frown. "I'm not following you here; can you just get to the point, and stop talking in riddles?" I have a feeling I know what Charlie's talking about, but I'm not going to say anything until I'm completely sure. Completely sure of what, I'm not sure, but I had a feeling I'm not going to like it.

"Aren't we snappy today?" Charlie rhetorically asked, and went on, "I called you up here to talk about the future of this kingdom, and who your husband will be, when I'm gone. A kingdom cannot rule itself without a ruler."

I was stunned beyond belief.

Actually, I wasn't. I sort of had a feeling that this was what we were going to talk about.

I didn't want to get married so young. I was only seventeen, for crying out loud! _'But I guess to my father that was a perfect age to marry,'_ I thought sarcastically._ 'But I also guess, when you're married at twenty, like he was, you're never too young to get married.'_

I vaguely wondered if this was what my mother felt when she was married ay seventeen…

'_Stop,'_ I mentally scolded myself. _'No need to go there, and get all depressed. After all I hardly knew her before… Stop!'_Whenever I thought about this I usually get really depressed, I'm really working hard to change that. I hoped none of my mental scolding showed on my face, but, of course, it had.

"What's wrong sweetie?" My father asked, concern filled his voice, and laced into his tone.

I tried my best to put on a smile, but I'm not sure I did so well. "Nothing."

"OK," He said, internally fighting with himself, but eventually let it go. "Well I've arranged for you to meet some suitable choices; I'll tell you when I plan on having them."

"OK, is that all or is there more?" I asked antsy to get out of here as fast as possible.

"No that's all. You may go now." He dismissed me with a wave of his hand toward the door.

I stood up and left.

*~~~…~~~*

When I rounded the corner, to go down the hallway my room was in, I slammed into a body with caramel colored hair.

"Oomph," I grunted out, as my butt made contact with the hard marble that was under my feet a second ago.

"Oh!" a very familiar, motherly voice called out. "I'm so sorry princess I didn't see you there. I was going to see you' Bella, and tell you it's time for your studies. I'm so sorry I didn't see you earlier. Here," she starts bending down to help me up, "give me your hand. I'll help you up."

A gentle hand came down to help me up, and I graciously took it. A very familiar woman with caramel colored hair and lavender-goldish eyes, and a warm smile upon her kind face.

"Oh, it's OK, Esme," I said suddenly remembering something she said, "Why were you looking for me?"

"It's time for your studies!"

A bright smile made its way on my face. I loved it when I could study. Just me, a book, and quietness, with the occasional background music: Debussy or Beethoven; whichever I was in the mood for. Sometimes I had a person tutor there to help.

"Oh, come on, Bella it's time," she said with a slight English accent making itself known, ushering me down the hall into my room.

"OK. Well start with history. I'll go get Jasper. Hold on a minute." When she walked out of the room, I walked over to my bed and plopped down on it, and started trying to remember everything Jasper had taught me, until Jasper and Esme walked back in.

I must have been focusing really hard, because I as startled when there was a heavy weight thrown on my bed causing me to hop in the air a foot and landing back on my bed."Hey, kid," Jasper said with his southern drawl, reaching his hand out and messing up my hair. At which I became more annoyed, whacking his hand away and trying to fix my hair, to which he just laughed.

"You two play nice, you hear me?" Esme said, while walking out of the room. All she got in response was a weak "OK" from Jasper and I.

"Anyways, I'm not a kid," I sneered 'kid' as if it was poison. "I'm seventeen, practically a grown adult."

"You're _almost_ a grown adult. Not quite yet. You're a kid to me, because I'm twenty: a grown adult. You're three years younger than I am. So, technically, you are a kid to me," He concluded with a smug smile.

"Oh, shut up," I grumbled, then in a louder voice added, "can we just start already?"

"Sure, kid," he chirped, walking over to my desk, grabbing the correct book and starting the lesson.

*~~~…~~~*

"Esme, can I ask you something?" I asked tentatively, suddenly unsure of myself.

"Of course, sweetie, anything," she promised.

"It will only stay between me and you, right? You won't tell anyone else we talked about this?"

"Whatever you want, honey. I won't say a word," she motioned with her hand, like she was zipping her mouth shut and throwing away the key. "I won't tell a soul, unless you want me to."

"I don't," I hurried to tell her. She smiled.

"What is it you want to discuss, now?" she asked in her most motherly tone.

"I-I want t-to." I stuttered out. I stopped and closed my eyes, trying desperately to calm my nerves down.

"It's OK, just take your time." She touched my arm in a comforting way.

I opened my eyes. _'Esme's sweet. She won't judge me. She's basically my mother; although she can't fully replace her…she's like my second mother.'_

Steeling myself, I went on, "I wanted to talk about what me and Charlie talked about earlier." I paused.

"What would that be sweetie?" Esme asked when I didn't go on.

"We…we talked about me getting married soon; and me going on to rule the kingdom. It's I just don't know if I want to get married at such a young age. I don't want to rule a kingdom that I have no idea what it looks like. I want to go outside the palace walls. Like my mother did," I said the last sentence sadly, longingly. "But," I continued, "I want to please father; what should I do, Esme? Please. Help me." I said this all in one breathless plea from my best mother figural woman I know.

"Ok, honey, I'll help as much as I can. But you have to decide on what you have to do. Just know, whatever you do choose, I'll be behind you 100%. No matter what."

I smiled, grateful. "Thanks, Esme. What would I do without you? OK. Now tell me. What do you think I should do?"

"Well there are really only so many options. You could tell your dad you don't want to marry, just that you want to explore- you said you wanted to explore, right? - Although, that's a little risky. You can…"

"Oh! Esme, thank you! I just got the perfect idea," I exclaimed happily bouncing up and down.

"Oh? And what would that be, sweetie?" Esme asked sweetly.

I leaned over and whispered in an excited voice: "I can sneak outside the castle wall tomorrow night, and go explore!"

Esme shifted uneasily. "Um, I don't know sweetie. The outside is really dangerous at night."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll be fine," I said waving her off. "Thank you. Bye."

I got up with a little backwards glance and a wave at a worried looking Esme.

*~~~…~~~*

As I got ready to head out tomorrow night, I made sure I had everything.

Durable shoes?

Check.

Comfortable Clothes?

Check.

Notebook and pencils?

Check… Check.

Bag for notebook and pencils?

"Oh, where is it?" I grumbled, looking in my closet for my white-colored on bag.

"Ah, there it is." I pulled it out from the back of my closet.

Check.

…

'_Aha! I found it,'_ I shouted in my mind. A big grin made its way across my face as I looked at my bracelet my mother gave me before she passed. I don't wear it often because I couldn't handle being reminded of her; it was too early. But I wanted to have what very little of her I had with me when I went outside of the palace walls.

Tears made their way to my eyes as I thought about how I found out that my mother was dying when I was five.

_~Flashback~_

_I was walking into my father and mother's room with Jacob by my heel as a baby cub._

_I came to a sudden stop when I heard someone crying, with my mother's comforting voice comforting them._

"_Oh, honey, what am I going to do without you? It's progressing so fast," I recognized the voice of my father, with unfamiliar thickness to it._

"_Sweet, don't cry. Everything is going to be alright. You just wait and see."_

"_Nothing is going to be alright when you're gone. Don't say that. And what's going to happen to Bella? I can't raise her without her mother. I need you. We need you," My father was begging now, pleading._

"_Everything is going to be fine. You _can_ raise our daughter despite your worries; you'll just have to get her a governess to teach her. She'll be Daddy's little girl when she grows up. You'll just have to wait and see. I promise you."_

_I rounded the corner and opened the door at hearing my name come up. "Whose going? What's going to be alright or not?" I asked surprising them with my entrance._

"_Bella! We didn't see you there, sweetheart," My mother exclaimed, surprised._

_I repeated what I asked before, "whose going? What's going to be alright or not?"_

_Both my parents looked at each other with sad faces. So, again, I repeated what I said before._

_Taking a deep breath, my mother looked over at me and called me over to the bed they were sitting on, "Bella, come here." I walked over, with a confused expression, and jumped on the bed between them. Jacob now sat at the foot of the bed, looking up at us._

"_Sweetie," My mother said taking my attention away from Jacob at the moment._

"_I have cancer."_

"_What's cancer?"_

"_It's… It's…"_

"_It's bad isn't it?"_

_She sighed, "Yes, honey. It's bad."_

"_How bad?" I asked in a timid, scared of the answer._

"_It has the potential to kill me."_

_I felt the not-so-familiar prick behind my eyes. "I'm going to miss you, so much."_

_And with that said, my tears finally fell. "Me too," I barely managed to get out, when I attempted to control myself enough to speak. "Me too, mommy," I said again, more in control of myself this time than last._

_The three of us sat there, just holding each other, crying. Until finally Jacob started to nudge my foot dangling off the bed. I looked down with him with blare-y eyes, while he looked up with sad, confused eyes, silently asking what was wrong._

_I knew then, I wasn't going to cry like this ever again; only in front of Jacob._

_~End of Flashback~_

And that's exactly what I did. I never cried in front of any one, but Jacob. If I ever felt like crying I would sneak off and cry with Jacob curled around me.

Eventually we fell asleep, holding each other still crying.

I looked down at my silver bracelet with a Swan graved into it.

My mother gave it to me. A week before the cancer too much, and she passed. Dad and I walked around the palace for month's moping. Eventually, Emmett got me to crack a smile and kept going on about it like it was the best thing in the world; and bragged a little. He designated himself the 'count jester' of the palace; and whenever someone needed cheering up, it was he who showed up. With him came Esme, my governess. A year after that Jasper joined us, when I was seven, and he also helped me to live again. This instantly became my new family and helped me and my father heal over time.

Before my mother died, she wanted to go explore some, before the cancer became too much and she couldn't do anything. So, now I decided to live by her example: To live before I get tied down to marriage.

After what seemed like forever, I got off the floor by my dresser and feel on my bed, baling my eyes out. Soon after I started Jacob came up and curled into my side, comforting us both in his own special way.

Eventually I fell asleep like I did the night I found out. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

*~~~…~~~*

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

I was startled awake by my alarm clock.

Jacob yawned and stretched, getting up off my bed and going to do things wolves did.

'_Time to start another day,' _I sighed, getting up. I just wanted to crawl back under my covers and go back to sleep.

'_On the bright side, I get to see what the outside awaits for me.'_ On that cheery thought, I got up to get ready. Making sure I had my bracelet on, I got dressed, and I felt like I could face anything.

* * *

**A/N:** Review please. And I just wanted to thank the people who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed my story. Thanks, you guys rock!

~Cynthia~


	3. New Things

**A/N: **Sorry! I didn't mean to take so long, hope you can forgive me, and are still following my story. I will not give up on this story, so just remember that; you have nothing to worry about. I'll try to promise it won't take me about a month to update next time, I'll try to be quicker.

**Disclaimer: **SM owns the characters and all, but it's my imagination this story came out of, especially Cameron.

Enjoy, ya'll!

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 3

BPOV

"Ugh…" I groaned, "I have to do that staring tomorrow?"

"Yes. It might take us a while to find you a suitable man for you to marry."

"I know that, dad," I said, "but… can't I start doing that next week or something? You've only given me a two day period to think it over."

"What's there to think over?" he said, shrugging his shoulders, "You're getting married to a man you don't know."

"Ugh! That's the problem! What if the men are complete jerks and plan to take advantage of me? And you know that that is completely possible; so don't try to deny it, either," I added seeing he was about to protest.

He sighed, resigned and tired, "OK, we'll see when they get here. You should go to bed early tonight; we have a big day tomorrow."

I stepped out of his office and into a big man: Emmett.

"Hey," he said cheerily, oblivious to my much accounted for shock. So, me being me, decided to play with him.

"Ow, ow, ow," I said holding my head, feigning hurt, and hopping around. "My head!"

"Oh, shut it, I know you're not really hurt."

I pouted. "How do you know? You're not me," I said indifferently, still holding my head but stopped moving, deciding to stand in one spot instead.

"Nor will I ever want to be," he said without missing a beat. He then, much to my surprise, grabbed me in a Full Nelson, and started rubbing my head and creating friction with his knuckles. I tried my best to get out of his hold. I failed miserably. Eventually I stopped on my hopeless action, and he stopped. He had this big grin on his face like he just won the lottery, dimples and all showing.

Me, upon seeing this, grumbled, "Oh, shut up; let's go." I tried to fix my hair the best I could, running my hands through it; but, again, failed miserably.

His expression turned serious at once; "What happened in there?"

"Nothing," I lied badly. He didn't believe it by the look on his face. "Ugh! Fine; dad wants me to get married, so I'm meeting the men: starting tomorrow."

"You have got to be kidding me?" I gave him a look. "OK, so maybe you aren't."

"Yeah; I'm not. I wouldn't be joking about something like this," I said, running my hands through my hair. I blew out a breath, changing the subject. "Let's go I want to have a snack."

Emmett maid a weird sound; it was somewhere between a moan and a failed whoop.

"Yeah, a snack sounds about right," he moaned.

"Fatty," I muttered.

"Hey," he almost yelled, "I second that. I am a fatty." A big mischievous smile made its way on his face. I instantly became wary when I saw that look on his face.

I had good reason to also because one second my feet were on the ground, the next I don't know which way is up, and which way is down. A squeal escapes my lips out of surprise and terror, "Emmett, put me down now!"

"No; you walk to slow and I'm hungry," he said indignantly stubborn, and tossed me over his shoulder, and took long measured strides down the palace halls.

We were in this position for about a minute, him still acting like a Neanderthal, before I felt like I was about to puke all over the floors. So, not wanting to puke, I started kicking and screaming. Eventually Jasper came sprinting down the way, panic written all over his face out of the struggling fight he heard from me. When he saw what was happening, his face broke out in a smile, while he tried not to laugh.

Me, upon noticing this, blew hair out of my face and grumbled indignantly, "Yeah, yeah; go and laugh it up why don't you?!" At that, his last straw, he broke out in a gigantic laugh. A little after that Emmett joined in with the laughing, and not helping me, I joined in a minute later. "Ok, seriously, Japer, help me down. All this laughing is not helping my stomach…" and just to annoy Emmett, added, "especially Emmett's _boney_ shoulder." It got the desired effect. Emmett huffed offended, and with Jasper's help, got mo down off of his shoulder.

When I got down and I stumbled a little, to which Jasper and Emmett grabbed my forearms and kept me upright. They laughed at me while I scowled at my clumsiness.

"Now that that's over, where were you guy's headed anyway?" Jasper asked with a slight southern accent mixed in with his chuckle.

"We were going to the kitchen when Emmett here," I pointed to him with my thumb, "decided to get Neanderthal on me and tossed me over his _boney _shoulder."

"Huh, my shoulder is not boney, it's just simply muscular," Emmett huffed.

Jasper gave him a look that said 'yeah, sure, but it doesn't excuse your behavior'. I snickered under my breath, which got a grin from Jasper.

In silence, we walked through the big pretty, white palace halls, waving to people we saw here and there. In the kitchen there were people cooking over hot burners, yelling, and some were just sitting there, resting from all the cooking they do.

"Hey, look who's there? If it isn't my best friends: Emmett and Bella." An all too familiar voice said in a sarcastic tone. I turned around to confirm my suspicions. And I was right; standing there, with a big serving spoon in hand and a smile on his face was none other than one of my best friends: Cameron. "Jasper." Cameron regarded him coldly.

"Cameron," Jasper said just as coldly. Silence filled the room after that: Awkward silence.

It was no secret that Jasper and Cameroon don't like each other. They never really did get along. Jasper said he just has this gut feeling not to trust him. So he didn't. Simple as that. He even advised me not to befriend Cameron; but I did, anyways. Emmett did, so I never really saw the bad in it. I f Jasper was the only one; then it must just be all in his head.

Clearing my throat to break the awkward silence after that, I said politely, "Hey, Cameron, it's been a while hasn't it?"

He let out a loud laugh, his grey eyes shining. "A while? Try, like, a hundred years!"

I rolled my eyes at his exaggeration. "It has only been a month. It hasn't been _that_ long. Mmm… it smells delicious in here." It smelled like ravioli and fettuccini Alfredo, with a strong dose of brownies added in.

"You want to try some?" Cameron asked dipping his big spoon he was holding into a pot and brought it out with some ravioli on it, for me to taste the ravioli. He swung the spoon around trying to tempt me to give in. I raised an eyebrow at his light-heartedness. I walked over, plucking the spoon out of his grasp, and seated myself on the stool. I bit down on the spoon, effectively taking the ravioli off of the spoon it was sitting on.

A moan escaped my mouth when I tasted the sauce and the ravioli encased in it: '_Mushroom Ravioli… My favorite kind…'_ Happy at my realization, I swung my legs over the too-big high stool I used to do when I was younger.

Emmett came over to lean on the counter next to me, wanting some. I shot my gaze over to Cameron, silently asking him if it was ok. He shrugged and smiled. Taking that as my go ahead, I dipped the spoon back in and got a piece for Emmett, handing it to him. He had the same reaction as me: a moan. I quickly took the spoon back from him to keep him from taking more, which we all knew he would. He pouted in response to my action. "No, you'll get some more at dinner. If I let you have free reign over the spoon it would all be gone by dinner time." His pout turned into a wide proud, but sheepish grin. We all laughed at him then.

_'Time to put my plan in action,'_ I thought with a smile in my face hiding my thoughts for once.

"So, do you guys have any cool stories for me since the last time you told me some?" I asked, whilst getting up and getting a cup of water; mainly to distract me from chewing on my lip and completely blowing my cover of trying to be sneaky. My plan was to get some view on what the outside would be like. So when I went out there it won't be that much of a surprise to me. I want to be as prepared as possible.

I was broke out of my reverie by a voice saying, "You bet. Jasper and I have tons; some are funny, some are stupid, and some just plain old don't make sense. I don't know what's with some people these days; their just off their rocker or something, I don't know…" While Emmett went on and on about people and 'how they make me want to go mad so I can understand them better', I turned to Cameron and Jasper to ask them, but found them glaring at each other. I cleared my throat to get their attention. It worked.

I raised an eyebrow expectantly at them. I smirked at their confused faces and clued them in. "Stories…?"

"I thought I was telling you a story of Jasper and I, and our amazing adventures outside the palace walls?"

I started laughing: hard.

"No, no, no. You went off about how 'you just want to kill everyone, and live in my own little world' little speech, so I turned to Cameron and Jasper." I said looking over at them, "But I guess they weren't even listening to me." A big grin made its way to my face, "Seems they were in their own little world together. I think we should let them have their own little time together, Em. What do you think?" I asked turning toward him. He wore an almost identical grin to the one I was wearing.

"Yes!" Emmett shouted, while Cameron and Jasper yelled a "No!" simultaneously. I started laughing at all of their silliness at my innuendo making. "Calm down, I was only joking," I said out of breath, still trying to calm myself down. The cup still in hand, I snickered over the edge of it, at which Jasper and Cameron scowled.

Once we all calmed down to some degree, I got back on the topic at hand: "So, anybody got a story for me?"

Cameron looked at the wall with the clock and turned back to me and said, "I only have time for one. Then you guys have to get out, because I have to start lunch. Ok?"

"Sure," we all agreed easily enough.

"Ok… so… um… let's see… huh…" Cameron said while tapping his chin, trying thinking of a story. "Oh! I got one; so, you know how I go out and get the ingredients everyday for lunch and dinner?" We all nodded; Em and I leaning in while Jasper just stood there looking on bored. "Ok, so, while I was out today I saw these gang kids – you know the type, the ones who wear baggy jeans that sag and too-big t-shirts – yeah, so, anyway they were just hanging around this alleyway – the one that I pass on the way to get the ingredients – looking like they own the place. So these two little kids, they look like 11 year-olds, come walking that way with this hot blond girl, she looked like 19 or something, they looked like siblings of to some extent, they have their school books, like on their way to school. The kids in the gang approach them.

"The gang leader walks up, and I think he is trying to start trouble, because he pushes the girl up against the wall, while the other gang members are trying to rough house with the kids; forming a circle around them and throwing them around and stuff. They all drop their books in the process of this so they have no ways to defend themselves.

"So, anyways, the leader was trying to take the girls cloths off and kissing her-"he cuts off because he has too big a grin on his face to keep talk.

Me, being horrified by what I'm hearing, say, "How could you even be smiling at this girl who sounds like she's being raped?!"

"Hold on you need to hear the rest to understand," he gasps out, trying to control his laughing. Emmett looks about to pound his face in, while Jasper's attention was caught with what the laughing man was saying. His thoughts seemed to be about the same as Emmett's.

"So, then do tell, so we all can laugh along with you," I say sounding sarcastic as I can.

"Ok, ok, calm down, gees," Cameron says exasperated, he flips his blond hair out of his amused grey eyes. "So anyways, the guy was totally caught off guard when she did the SING maneuver on him: solarplex (guts), instep (foot), nose, and groin. Poor guy ended up in the alleyway, just lying there in pain, all dazed and confused. Now that I think about it the gang seemed kind of drunk to begin with. The hot blond girl walks over to the gang in the circle and picks them off one by one. They never saw what was coming to them." He's laughing so hard now that he has to stop talking, while Em, Jasper, and I are just sitting there with slack jaws and wide eyes.

"Hold on that's not the best part. When I thought the girl was going to be in trouble I go down there to try and help out, but I stop in my tracks, with the same look on my face as your guy's face, when she starts kicking the gangs butt. So when she was done I walk down there and without me saying anything she sticks out her hand and says, _"Hi, I'm Rosalie, and you're probably wondering how I did that right?" _I nod my head and she continues with, _"Well, my dad, Carlisle, taught me it. He thought I might need it someday, and so he taught me the SING thing, and some extra moves to help me and my little twin brothers, Dylan and Nathaniel, if were ever in any need." _I just start laughing so hard. Oh, and she blushes and looks all embarrassed about it!" By this time we are all laughing so hard, were all holding on the counter to stay upright, but, my grip faltered while trying to grab my stomach, so I fell out of my chair, only to have Emmett just barely catching me in time.

"Holy crap!" Emmett shouts, "That's some comedy gold right there."

"Yeah, that's really crazy." Still somewhat dazed by all the laughing, I wobble out of Emmett's grasp and ask, "Can you guys teach that stuff to me?"

That gets them to stop laughing immediately. All their gazes snap to me and they stand up straight, with wide eyes. Jasper asks cautiously, "Why would we need to teach you that stuff? One of us is always with you and protects you with our lives. And you never go outside the palace walls, so... what do you mean?"

I start to panic. What do I mean? "Oh… no, that's not what I mean at all… Uh … I mean when…" The Wedding! Of course! "…I meet the other suitors, and what if they try to do something inappropriate or something? How will I defend myself, and one of you aren't in there, or don't get to me in time? What do I do?" With wide innocent eyes, I hope I pulled off; I finished my mini little speech.

"Oh," they all say, "Ok."

"Sure Emmett and I will show you tonight so you'll be prepared," Jasper offered.

"Thanks."

"Ok… so, everyone needs to get out so the kitchen can finish lunch, without interruption," Cameron says, ushering the three of us out. With a wave from me and Emmett, and a glare from Japer, we all walk out and down the hall.

"So, shall we start your teach you right now? Or do you need to do something real quick?" Jasper asked, ever the gentleman.

"Can we start right now? I don't have anything to do," I answered.

"We'll start it right now then," Emmett said, smiling down at me, dimples showing.

"Ok, we can do it in the training room," Jasper announced. We started heading that way to start the teaching.

Inside I was slightly terrified of what I might have to do with what they were teaching me. It put barely the slightest damper on my excitement to go outside the palace walls.

*~~~…~~~*

I was up in my room, lying on my bed, sore all over. I had just finished my lesson with Em and Jasper, and oh man was it horrible. In the end I got it, and it was with a whole lot of soreness also, but I still got it. The only brake I had was lunch, and even that was only half an hour at the best.

That's what matters right? Is that I got it?

Nope.

I'd rather not go through that again anytime soon.

_~Flashback~_

_"Take a bath; it'll help immensely. And… you kind of stink," Emmett tried to say politely, but the look on his face was nothing but polite._

_"Hey, I do not smell that bad!" I looked at Jasper for back up, but he backed up the wrong person._

_"Sorry, Bella, but you kind of do smell. But hey, look on the bright side, that bath will do two things: help your sore muscles, and have you smellin' fresh as a daisy, Darling." '_Darn Jasper and his southern accent,' _I thought bitterly, shaking my fist in my head at him._

_I sighed defeated. "Ok, Jazzy, I'll go do that." I purposely used the nickname he hated, just to annoy him. I stuck my tongue out at them and walked away leaving them chuckling behind me._

_~End of Flashback~_

I sighed getting off my bed to get in the bath. Esme walked out then announcing it was ready and walked out of the room to leave me alone to strip down and soak in the soapy water. And that is exactly what I did: I stripped down and soaked in the clean, hot refreshing water. And I loved every minute of it.

A little while later Esme came and knocked on the door announcing that dinner was ready. I sighed getting out of the bath and wrapping a towel around myself. I got dressed and met Felix outside of my room. Felix met me because Jasper and Emmett were on the clock, working outside the castle to get ready for the arrival of the suitors of the throne, and my soon-to-be-husband.

My reply to that was, "Oh, ok."

"So…"

"What?" he asked.

'Oh, nothing; I was just… uh… wandering if… um… if you have… uh… been having… a huh… nice day?" I stuttered out, barely coherent, even to myself. This was how it was between me and Felix: awkward. Not knowing what to say, or how to start a conversation between each other. Felix and I didn't get along very well because it was very rare that he got stuck as my guard. He was like my emergency guard, so to say. If Emmett or Jasper weren't available, then I went with Felix.

I was going to try to change that tonight, though.

It would probably be better if I tried to not stutter over my words when talking, though. _'Confidence.' _Right. That's what I needed: Confidence. I should start using some more of that.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I almost missed his reply. "Um, my day has been just fine. Thank you for asking. Um… How has your day been so far? I heard… huh… that Emmett… um, and Jasper taught you some moves in uh… self-defense?" Maybe he was trying at the same thing as me? Well, it surely seemed like it.

This was the exact opening I needed to start being more comfortable around each other. "Yeah," I exclaimed mock enthusiastic; he gave me a quizzical look, too which I giggled. "The training was a little bit hard. I was really sore afterwards, which kind of sucked. But I'm all better now."

"Well… that's good, I guess." He replied.

And...

Cue awkward silence.

We kept walking down the hallway, until we reached the door to the dining room. At which I parted with a friendly enough smile. It looked like he had to force one in return.

I turned around and walked into the room, with my short in the front, long in the back flowing, black lace skirt and my white V-neck T-shirt tucked into it, with a long chained heart necklace dangling from my neck. When I sat down at the table, I immediately started to play with the heart on my necklace, my Swan bracelet clanking at my wrist.

A minute later Charlie walked in and sat down at the head of the table. Immediately after he sat down the servers came in and put out the steak and mash potatoes, complete with a side dish of corn and gravy for the mash potatoes. The only sound in the room was my bracelet clanking against my necklace as I drank from my water the servers set out before both of us.

A comfortable silence: that's what it was like for my dad and me. We didn't need any easy flowing conversation between us, to know what the other wanted to say; in short terms, we were on mutual ground when it came to any place that talking was not absolutely necessary. We started cutting into our steak, our knives cutting the steak while slicing against our plates.

*~~~…~~~*

"AHHH," I yawned, my mouth opens wide in the process. I hear a chuckle to my right, so I instinctively turn my head to the sound. It was dad.

"I think, just maybe, it might be time for bed," he said with another chuckle. "Plus you have a big day tomorrow also."

I nodded my head in response. Trying to hide my excitement for what time that went, I got up, met Felix at the door, and walked to my room in silence; too tired to even attempt a conversation. I stumbled some of the way, and thankfully, Felix caught me in time, so I didn't injure myself before I had to leave tonight; not that anybody, except Esme, knew that I was going _out _tonight.

By the time I said night to Felix, locked my door, packed everything I would need for tonight (shoes, bag, notebook and pencils…), and finally got dressed in my tight, black stretchy pants, and a shirt to match, that just happened to be black also, did I finally decide it was too early to go out yet. So instead I opted for taking a quick nap. I set my alarm clock for ten, leaving me about 2 hours of rest. Which means I only had about 9 hours to explore, and an hour to rest when I get back, assuming Esme lets me sleep in till 9 o'clock; she usually gets me up at 8:30. She said something about how "_the early bird gets the worm"_ or something like that; I am fairly still asleep when she talks so energetic in the morning, so I don't know the half of what she's saying.

Before getting into bed I made a note to remind myself to pick up Jacob from his 'doggy day' he has every once in a while. I put the note on my dresser mirror, then climbed into bed.

By the time my head hit my pillow I was out like a light. Only then did I remember, in my subconscious state, the worried face I saw on Esme when I was walking out of the dining room.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry it took so long to finally update, but I have Finals coming up next week and have been studying for them, and end of the year stuff to make up and all. But look on the bright side, you'll be getting more chapters sooner in a bit. And I made this chapter extra long, because I made you wait so long. An extra two-thousand words!

So, what did you think? Will Bella make it out of the castle in one piece? Without getting caught? Review!

Here I'll make it easy on you (copy n' paste!):

:) :(

The more reviews, the faster I'll try to update! I'll add more choices if you guys like the idea of copy n' pasting the faces. So, press the little green button and review; it'll save you guys a longer wait to get the next chapter!

~Cynthia~


	4. Meetings and Surprises

**A/N: **Hey! New Chapter and I think you guys will like this one! I had a lot of fun writing it and am pretty sure you'll have fun reading it, or at least hope. I like to think of this chapter as the 'HOLY CRAP!' chapter. You guys will find out later why I think that :D

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any thing but a cat and some clothing :D

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 4

BPOV

_Beep. Bee-_

_SLAM!_

_'Huh, where's th-'_

_Beep. Bee-_

_SLAM!_

_'-at button?'_

_Beep!_

_'Is it getting-'_

_Beep!_

_'-louder?'_

_BEEP!_

_SLAM!_

_'AHHH.'_

_BEEP!_

_'Fine. Let's just…'_

_BEeeep…_

_"Finally, Sweet peace," _I said rolling over and picking up the clock up that I just seemed to unplug in my protests, and slung it to the end of my bed. I plugged the clock back in and checked the time.

9:18

Considering that I was arguing with the clock just now, I guess that was the right time.

I got out of bed and re-laced my shoes back on my feet securely. I then proceeded to the bathroom to freshen up. Once I splashed water on my face. I walked back into my room, out from my bathroom, all the while wrinkling-freeing my wrinkly shirt and pants.

I then proceeded to pack up my notebook and pencils in my long-strapped-shoulder bag. I made sure to bring a miniature timer & clock; I got out of the kitchen earlier, and put it in one of the side pockets of my paint-splattered bag. Just in case I needed one, I slipped a hair-bow/hair-tie in with the timer.

_'What's the difference between them? I mean aren't they the same thin, hair-bow & hair-tie? I mean it means the same object of desire, right? It's just like tomato, tomato …'_

While I was having this inner debate with myself, I failed to notice the chair leg in my pinky-toe's way on my walk out the door.

I inhaled a sharp intake of breath to keep from crying out in pain. I then exhaled slowly to dissipate some of the pain from my most fragile toe on my foot. It didn't really help that I stumbled a little from having a part of my foot caught; causing me to lose some equilibrium, resulting in me barely catching my balance in the process.

"Ouch," I whined, straining to keep quiet from the pain raging on, on my cutest thing on my foot. "That hurt."

I stood still for a minute waiting for the strong stinging feeling in my pinky- toe to dissipate. When it didn't, I decided to stop wasting my time, and get a move on it.

I took a step.

"Ahhh!" I let out a low, high pitched scream on my way down, flailing my arms all the way.

I must have looked like a penguin, flapping its wings whilst descending face first, down a snow slide, because that's how I felt at that moment. Minus the snow slide.

I rolled over slowly onto my back with a groan and a grunt. Half way there, on my side, I lost the ability to go slow, and flopped onto my back. AA tingling sensation went up my spine because of it.

I lay there for about five minute, waiting until the pain slowly ebbed away.

_'I'll have to be more careful tonight, or I might have to stay in.' _I shook that thought away with a heavy sigh, standing up. I took a deep breath and started walking. I made it back gates. I made it through the gates and into the secluded, dry forest we have here in this Egyptian-like place. I made it to the end of the forest and found the right tree. When I found the right place to place my foot to start climbing, I started climbing.

I only almost slipped once.

That's a new record, with my climbing trees and all.

"Hurray," I muttered sarcastically.

II finished climbing down the other side of the vine-wall, only losing my footing twice and my grip once.

To say that was a victory for me would be an understatement.

As I stepped down from the last ledge on the vine- covered wall, I held onto the vine to make sure I didn't fall. A sense of pride and accomplishment came over me.

'_I did it,'_ I thought with excitement, and added in, '_Now whish way do I go?'_

I leaned forward some, holding onto the strap of my bag to keep it from only hanging from my neck, looking left then right.

I was still in the forest some, but the tree trunks were thicker here, and more numerous in numbers; very hard to see if you were on the outside looking in, but from where I was, on the inside looking out, you could see just fine. '_Not very many people will be able to see me, if I stick with the shadows,' _I thought, trying to keep silent, not make much noise. I didn't fully succeed, nor did I fully fail at it.

_'Thank goodness I remembered to bring one,'_ I thought searching my bag for my hair-bow to tie my hair back. I checked the time also when I got the hair-bow out: 10:15. I resumed pulling my hair back into a messy pony-tail and continuing forward and turning left. All the while I felt watchful eyes on my back subconsciously.

I was walking for a while before I finally spotted it.

It was stone table with three separate benches going around it. The edges of the table were rounded with symbols where the rough old edges were. They looked very old and crumbly; but it was as strong as ever. It was all in this little clearing surrounded by trees. A few yards away from the stone hard table was a little wall of rocks. You could climb on the wall if careful, though the view from up there would be worth it. It looked magnificent. Or so I'm told.

Renee, my mother, before she died, when she went outside the walls, found this place. She outlined the basics of it in a drawing, and when she got back, gave me the outline and explained to me every detail. Every crack, every symbol, what the stone table and its benches looked like from every position she could get into; even up on the ledge of rocks, although admittedly she did need some help. And she told me the view from up there was breathtakingly beautiful of the table from up there.

When Renee explained it to me, the way she did so, made it seem like I was actually there: sitting at the table, on the bench, having an afternoon tea with a friend; running my hand over the stone surface; looking through the scarcely thick trees; up on the ledges of the rocks.

People always did say I had an active imaginative mind; the mind of my mother.

Ever since then I knew I had to come see it for myself. Weather it was before I was married or after, I promised myself I would. And so, here I am.

With wide shining eyes, I ran my hand over the ancient-looking stone. It brought tears to my eyes. Renee's explanation didn't do it justice. It was better.

Deciding I wanted from different angles, I went behind the tree line a bit, and stopped. Imagining what it would look like in the daylight, I also decided to draw it from the lights shining from the moon.

In the drawing, I tried to get every leaf, every flower, every crack, to the best of my ability, I would say I did my mother proud. I guess you could say I got my knack for drawing from her. Although, Renee could never stay on one picture too long. That's why she gave me an outline picture of the stone table before me; she always went on to a different half-drawn, half-made, picture of hers.

Once I was done with that I decided to draw it from it from on top of the rock, of the wall. Heaven help me. When I leaned back from my drawing, I thought I heard a sharp intake of breath.

When I finished putting my notebook back to its place in my bag, I stood up. While I was standing up, I heard some rustling from behind me in the trees. I froze. Getting Goosebumps on my arms, I turned around, half expecting someone to jump out at me. I locked my muscles in place ready to run at a moments' notice, but it wasn't necessary. For when I turned around, there was nothing there. But I still heard rustling in the tree branches up above my head. Also looking up there was nothing there. Shaking off the spooking feeling of being watched, I turned back to the mini mountain of rocks I had to conquer to be satisfied with fully capturing the subtle beauty of this place.

When I was at the base of the rock hard wall, I found crevices to which I could put my foot to get higher, and eventually to the top to finish. The only problem with this plan was when I placed my foot in to get me a lift up; the cracks in the rocks where I placed my foot were big enough to place my foot _in_ just not back _out _of the crevices.

The rock wall was about 12 feet high at a slant some. So what I thought might take-what- maybe 5 minutes or so, really took about 10. Also on the way up, I lost my balance some, and let me just tell you rocks are really hard to hold onto. So naturally, when I was almost all the way up the 12 foot wall with crevices and I lost my balance completely, and fell down. Tensing my body up, I waited for the painful ending to the fall I fell in to. Only it never came.

Instead, I landed with a bounce in warm strong arms, taking my breath away with the surprise.

My body relaxed some, but not completely.

I felt, against my left arm, a strong chest with arms, the tendons flexing to hold me up.

I opened my shocked, brown eyes I closed sometime during the descent. I looked into a shining, deep, green pair; the eyes of my savor.

**_EPOV_**

_(Earlier in the day)_

I opened my eyes to a bright light shining in through my window. I blinked a number of times to get the sleep out of them. Sitting up I rubbed my eyes to ensure I got it all out, and blinking again, looking around my crappy place.

Sighing I got up and went over to the basin of water to clean myself up. I soaked my tousled bed-head hair trying to calm the unruliness of it all with the freezing cold morning water. After taking a cloth I dried my still-messy-but-not-as-much hair to a degree. I splashed my face after that and also used the cloth to dry the cold dripping water off my face.

I made sure I looked descent enough and went to get up Seth. Not the morning monkey, while shaking him, I got a big long scratch up my arm from his sharp almost-non-existent claws. The stinging feeling not feeling nice, I hissed at the pain and also when I went over to clean of the flesh wound. The water pouring over it doing nothing to help south the stinging pain of the cut, I stopped. I dried it with lights dab from the still-wet cloth, I went over and shoved Seth once, hard, and really fast; so this time, he didn't have a chance to hurt me further than he already had this morning when his hands shot out.

That seemed to work, because he screeched a second later and reached out to claw whatever disturbed his sleep; only his claws slashed the empty air around them, for my hand was already out of the line of fire, and fell off of his stand.

Chuckling, I picked up a still groggy monkey with sleep in my hands and walked over to the water basin, dropping Seth in the still freezing cold morning water. He went in with a splash and popped above the surface of the water a minute later, shivering. I picked up the now damp cloth, after I used my hands to push Seth under the water and scrub him clean, letting him come up for air when needed, and dried him up. He grabbed the cloth from my hands, after I set him down by the basin of water, and wrapped it around himself as best he could still shivering from the cold water, his tail twitching. I snickered a little at that to which he shot me a glare.

I boomed out laughing. _'A monkey that glares…'_

It's a pretty comical sight to behold.

*~~~…~~~*

Later on in the day, Seth and I eventually got out. We went to all kinds of place: the market, alleyways (although, I did watch out for guard this time), and to visit Carlisle with his little twin boys, Nathaniel and Dylan, and his daughter, Rosalie. Carlisle is an old friend of my dad's and used to watch me when I was younger, along with my Uncle Anthony. His wife finally died giving birth to the twins. Rosalie and I were tolerating each other at the moment, but I absolutely adore her friend, Alice. They were basically the only people I talked to. Carlisle knew about my situation, but had too much on his plate, what with two twin boys and a teenage girl to raise up, add another teenager boy to the mix and all hell is going to break loose.

Anyways, Alice is this pixie-like girl… in all ways possible. She had short, spiky black hair down to her shoulders, with sparkling grayish-purplish eyes, that draw you in. It was hard not to fall in love with her bubbly personality, and short height of 5'2"; all platonic friendship kind of love, of course. Alice's short height did nothing to deter her gun-ho attitude and forceful, but nice, nature. She was currently trying to get a job at the palace designing things of all nature. Apparently she had to talk to some women named Emmy or something like that. We were best friends, along with the ever present Rosalie. Alice also had a little sister, Cynthia, but I rarely ever saw her; although, Cynthia is more reserved than her energetic sister.** (A/N: no joke, Alice really does have a little sister named Cynthia; Stephanie mentions it at the end of ****_Twilight _****in passing :))**

When I arrived at Carlisle's house, I knocked on the door, waiting for it to be opened by one of its occupants inside. Not to be disappointed, a minute later it was opened by none other than Rosalie herself, in all her glory.

When she saw who it was, her whole face lit up, "Seth! Come in, come in." When I moved to walk forward she stopped me with a hand on the chest and a sour expression on her once bright face. "Not you; only Seth."

My eyes widened as I looked over at the monkey on my shoulder, flabbergasted. "What?!" I yelled. "You can't be serious." One look at her face told me she was.

"You," she pointed a finger at me, "have yet to apologize for that little stunt you pulled with Michael." Michael was Rosalie's crush. The stunt she was talking about was the time I showed up behind her and pretended we were going out. I only did it because I saw what his intentions were and didn't like one bit. I told her this. "What _intentions _of Michael did you see this time?" She asked outraged. "You always say that the one guy I like and they seem to like me back, always 'seems' to have these 'intentions'. Well I just don't see them." She put air-quotes around the words seems and intentions, throwing her hands up afterwards.

"Of course you don't see them," I say equally outraged. "You never see them! And it's all because you don't see the hidden agenda that guy has. Or how whenever he's with another girl he's doing the _exact_ same thing he says to you to them."

"How do you know this is true?" Rosalie asks in a tight voice, arms held stiffly by her side, fire raging in her clear blue eyes, her blond hair flying in the gentle breeze happening to pass through at that moment.

" How? Because every time you tell me you like a guy I check him out to make sure his intentions are pure. I know you realize you are beautiful with an amazing figure, but so does every guy out there! There only trying to use you. Sleep with you; get what they want and move on to the next naïve girl happening to pass their way. You may not know it because you don't look at them closely enough, but I do. And if you watch as closely as I do, then you'll see that what I'm saying _is _true. Why can't you see this? You know I'm _very _watchful. So why won't you belie me? You know I would never do something to intentionally ham you, I see you too much as a little sister, as anything." I finished my little rant somewhat pleadingly.

What she did next surprised me.

She launched herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly to where I almost lost consciousness. Rosalie can be strong when she wants to be; so can Alice.

In the process of hugging me to death, she almost knocking Seth offs my shoulder. Luckily enough, because of his fast reflexes, he jumped off my shoulder just in time to land on top of my head. Although, I am pretty sure he got his tail clipped by her hand; I can't be sure.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I know that your intentions are always good. I was just blinded by my own stubbornness. And, I too, think of you as a protective older brother; although, I may not like it sometimes, I do appreciate it, immensely. I'm sorry." By the end of her little speech I felt something wet touch my cheek and fall down to wet my shirt. I awkwardly put my arms around her, at first too stunned to do anything, and patted her back.

She sniffled and pulled back some. "Wow. You really aren't good when emotions come into play, are you?" She teased to lessen the high tension in the atmosphere around us that was charged up during our heated argument. She finished pulling back all the way and dropped her arms to hug her torso lightly, using the back of her hand to wipe her nose.

Seeing the fresh tears in her eyes, I put her face in my hands and wiped the tears away. She offered me a small, watery smile which broke the last straw I had in me. I pulled her close and hugged her tightly, her arms tucked in-between us, crushing them to my chest. A tear or two slipped out of the corner of my eye, into her hair.

"Call me not good when emotions come into play, but we both know the truth: I am amazing with emotions."

That got the desired affect: a giggle.

I pulled back when I knew she was ready, sort of giving Rosalie her privacy in a way, and put an arm around her and led the way inside.

For the rest of the day we played games and kept the atmosphere light between us; the morning been emotionally straining on both of us.

Around 10 I left, because it's not good to be on the streets so late at night; even for me. But, on my way home I saw the strangest thing.

When I was walking in the alleyway nearest to the forest I saw a girl with dark wavy hair going down to about her waist, by the looks of it a foot shorter than me, trying to sneak around in the thick trees, heading to the little clearing a ways up where the stone table was at. Barely anybody knew it was up there, but yet this mysterious girl knew where it was. How strange.

She looked like she could barely defend herself from the simplest of attackers. So, taking it upon myself, I decided to follow her and make sure she made it home safely. Though I'm probably not the safest person who should be watching over someone, there are a lot of worse people who could be doing something as crazy as this, but right now I'm the best choose she's got.

Set in my decision to be her protector tonight, I followed her into the dark forest.

Part of how I knew she was here was of the noise she made. I guess she was trying to keep quiet, but she was doing a pretty good job, even though she was still trying, she wasn't great at it. I figured if she was trying to keep quiet, she didn't want people to know where she was or what she was doing. So I decided to be her silent hero, if she ever needed one tonight.

While I was following her for who knows how long-maybe 20 minutes- I took the time to get a good look at her. She was wearing all black. The only color on her was her paint-splattered bag that she had draped over her shoulder, her hands clutching the strap. Once she stopped to check the time and put her hair up. I guess it was annoying her…?

Shrugging off the mystery, I took the chance to get a good look at her face; I was far enough back, and it being too dark, she didn't notice me. She had ivory colored, sort of pale skin tint to it, but over all a very nice mix of color skin for her. She had dark doe eyes, which I couldn't quite make out the color to, part of it being so dark out, the only light coming from the moon. She had dark mahogany brown hair that still flowed down to about her waist even with her hair up. I couldn't make out the shape of her face but I could make out the shape of her nose: a small carefully sculpted nose.

Over all, from what I could see, she must be pretty nice-looking.

My first assumption was correct: she was heading toward the stone table clearing. I only knew this clearing was here because Uncle Anthony used to take me to it. Even after he was gone I still went to it; to celebrate, out of boredom, anything basically. A minute later we got to the stone table clearing, where she went and ran her hand over the table like she's waited for this moment for all her life.

Right from the start of when I walked into the forest I was silent; the only noise was from Seth jumping off my shoulder, into the dark mush of overhead trees. You could still hear him if you listened closely, and knew what to listen to when looking for a highly trained silent con-monkey swinging form tree branch to tree branch.

She went and looked around herself. Had she heard me? No. That's almost next to impossible. I let out a silent sigh of relief when she went over into the trees a little way and sat down; where she proceeded to take out a pencil and notebook. Curious, I went over and stood behind her (still where she couldn't see or hear me) and watched what she was doing.

_'Wow…'_ was the only thought rolling inside my head when she opened the notebook to reveal what lay inside.

The inside of the notebook were amazing drawings of anything and everything there was that she must have encountered. The drawings were the best I've ever seen.

She then proceeded to draw the stone table.

When she leaned back to what looked like half an hour later, around 11 at night, a breath of air escaped my throat; really loud. I held my breath and looked down at the beautiful picture on the page. The picture was of the stone table, and it was _really_ good. It looked like she got almost every detail of the ancient thing before us both. Every crevice, crack and symbol of the table, every leaf… over all it looked magnificent.

I guess she must have heard my breath and the slight rustling of the leaves I moved when I strained to see the picture better, because while she was in the process of putting her book away and standing up she whirled around and looked exactly where I was. I held my breath praying to God that I didn't get caught. Then just to add to my bad luck, Seth _had_ to move overhead to where the mysterious girl looked up in silent kept terror. Thankfully though, she calmed down a second later when she noticed that no one was there.

'_Ironically enough, it is not a person… but a monkey. 'Cause a monkey isn't a person.' _ I thought with a silent amused tone to my thoughts.

She let out a breath and turned around to where the rock wall with crevices was located and started walking towards it. '_This can't be good.'_

She had a determined look on her face, but uncertainty written in her body language. She set to work scaling the wall, tripping up a couple times, to which I proceeded to hold my breath and hope for the best. She kept getting her foot stuck in the wall which took some time to get out, but eventually she was almost at the top ready to push her-self up the rest of the way. But only that didn't happen.

Instead what did happen was she lost her balance completely and started to fall backwards down the 12 foot cliff. And, because of my quick reflexes and protective nature towards girls of any genre, ran forward to catch her just in time, bridal style. The only thought going through my head at the time was, '_NO!' _

All this happened in about 5 seconds flat.

I was to stunned at myself the only thing that I could do was stand there, her in my arms with my wide eyes; my muscles barely straining to support her weight, because she was tiny and didn't weigh a lot.

She had her eyes tightly shut with a tense body, I guess from expecting the impact of the painful fall that was to come if I hadn't made it in time. Her tense posture relaxed some when she realized it wasn't coming, and took a breath in that I suppose she lost from the sudden contact with my strong, hard arms.

She ever so slowly opened her shock-filled, brown (that I just realized they were), doe eyes to gaze at my green ones. My eyes had not been as wide as they were before, just normal size.

The only thought going through my head was, '_what did I just do?'_

* * *

**_A/N: _**Did you guys find out why I call it the 'HOLY CRAP!' chapter yet? I would love to know what you guys thought on what I did and how the chapter/story is so far. What did you guys think of Bella's clumsiness? Edward's and Seth's playfulness? Edward's and Rosalie's conversation? Do you think I portrayed Edward's protectiveness and saving ability right or not? What do you think of the little moment of Edward's reaction to Bella falling off the cliff?

Oh, the stone table place with the rock wall surrounded by trees? That's a real place. I went adventuring once while I was at camp and found a place like that. It was really cool. I may have changed the looks of the table a little bit. Like there weren't three benches, but two long curvy ones going all the way around. And it was in daylight that I saw all this, not night time.

My Finals are over and I'm hoping I did well on them. I might have failed Algebra though :( But I had an A throughout the class the whole year, so hopefully it won't effect my grade too much :) Not so sure on English, but I know I aced Science and P.E. :) And I got AP credit in Tech on the Alice(an animation computer gaming system, like Disney uses) portion of it! Yeah! In Spanish I hope I did well, along with Bible. I am officially out of school so I can update more often! Hurrah!

Review!

(\_/)  
(o.o)

:(

:)

:D

:l

:L

Wonder how many of you will use the bunny?

~Cynthia~


	5. Meeting

**A/N: **_Sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter. My house is going through construction, so my dad took out the computer for a week, so I was only allowed to go on my mom's laptop for like an hour every other day._

_Also, there is an important note at the bottom, please read it._

**Disclaimer:**_Everything belongs to Stephanie Meyer, without her I would not be here writing this. But this is my plot, so that's pretty much all I own on the web.  
_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 5

EPOV

As I stared into her shocked, chocolate brown eyes, her hair tied back in it's holster, exposing her pale skin and heart-shaped face; I couldn't help but notice exactly _how_ beautiful she actually is. Her full, pink, plump lips slightly parted in an 'o' shape, I thought she didn't realize they were lke that.

'_Her soft, kissable lips...'_

_'Whoa! Where did that thought come from?'_

Snapping myself out of my internal debate, I noticed she was overseeing the initial shock she first seemed to have. So, pulling myself together, I set her down gently making sure she had her balance before I let go; my hands lingering a little longer than they should have.

"Thank you," she spoke so softly I almost missed it.

"Your welcome," I replied huskily. I cleared my throat sticking my hands in my pocket, leaning to one side then the other in a nervous jesture.

"Um... If I may be so bold to ask, how...?" She trailed off, not knowing how to form her question.

"How did I know you were here? How did I end up catching you so fast?" I asked. She nodded. "Um, I know this is gonna sound stalkerish, but I kinda followed you here."

Her eyes widened from what I couldn't make from them; I saw one emotion overpowering all the others: fear.

I quickly continued, hoping to ease her state of mind. "No, no. Not like that. I would never... have never... uh... What I meant to say was... um..." My own eyes were widening through this whole thing, stumbling over me words, I continued, "What I meant to say was that I saw you walking in the trees, so I decided to folllow you; because let's face it, you look like you can't defend yourself from the simplist of attackers."

"Then why did you just now decide to show yourself?" She said crossing her arms over her torso, with furrowing eyebrows, her eyes a little les wide.

"I thought that if I was to show myself earlier then you would have freaked out and/or been scared enough, to maybe, even start running," I defended myself feebly.

"How is it better you show yourself now opposed to earlier?" She asked, "I might of had the same reaction you just described."

'_Dang it.'_

I just stood there, staring at her like a deer caught in the headlights. Oppoite my expression, I shrugged like it was no big deal.

She rooled her eyes and blatently asked, "Are you going to leave, or am I going to have commpany for the rest of the night?"

I was stunned by her bluttness in the question amd blinked a few times to clear it.

"Uh... um..." I stuttered, not sure what to say. I mean I didn't want her wandering the woods _or_ streets alone at night; especially _this_ late at night.

"I'm staying with you," I stated strongly. "It's not safe to wander the woods _or _the streets _this _late at night." A sly smile made it's way to my lips. "i guess your having company tonight."

She blew a breath out and turned towards the wall, staringg it down. All of a sudden she turned and looked back around at me.

"How do I know it's safe to be with you, huh?" She asked, raising an eyebrow delicately.

I smirked, "I'm the best choice you've got right now, so deal with it."

"Fine," she turned fully around to face me and pointed towards the cliff. "If you're staying help me up this rock wall."

i bowed mockingly, "Your wish is my command."

I straightened up while she turned around and started with the baics of climbing it. When she started to have trouble I put my hands on her hips to help keep her steady. I was admiring her backside when she turned around and gave me a pointed look.

"Don't try anything," she warned me icily.

I muttered in a bored tone, "I wouldn't dream of it." I raised an eyebrow at her. She huffed and turned around to finish pulling herself up. I started climbing next and finished with excelent grace, because I did stuff like this for a living.

When I got to the top, I thought I heard her say under her breath, "Show off." I looked at her while she blushed under my gaze. I chuckled a bit and walked over the earth on the other side of where she sat down taking out her drawing pad and pencil, and sat down leaning aginst the rock there.

I watched fascinated-ly transfixed as to what was happening before me.

Every facial expression she made I tried to make sense of; every curve of the line with the pencil she drew would hypnotized me. It was like watching a musician orchestrate a choir into playing a beautiful piece. This girl was truly in her element here, drawing. It was enchanting to watch it.

And that's when it hit me: I didn't even know this mysterious, enchantingly, beautiful girl's name.

"Are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to guess, Miss...?" I tried asking to get her name out of her, a little teasingly.

She stopped what she was doing and looked up at me with a passive expression, "Why don't you try to guess it? I _might_ tell you if you are right."

Well this surprised me; there were a lot of choices to choice from. Might as well narrow it down then. "Can you at least tell me what it starts with since there are a lot of choices to choice from, mystery girl?"

"Sure." She gave me an amused look, but otherwise complied, "It starts with an I, but the nickname starts with a B."

"Hmmm, that really narrows it down doesn't it?" Rhetorically asked by me, I went on, "Iona?" No. "Ircy?" No. "Iris?" No.

"Ireland?"

"That's the name of a-" She started to say.

"I know, I know. But what you didn't know is that it can also be a name of a girl," I said just as stubborn, matching her tone of voice. "Now where was I... Oh yes, let's see... Iria?"

"I think you're just making up names now."

"I'll take that as a no then." She sighed and looked back down at what she was drawing with smooth lines moving across the page. Drawn to her drawing once again I went on, "Iora?" No sign that it was the right name. "Irenta?" No movement to indicate it was correct. "Inge?" She just rolled her eyes at that attempt. but if I was being honest with myself, I was just doing it to get a reaction out of her. "Isabella?"

Falter in her drawing.

Bingo.

"So it's Isabella then, is it?" I asked again. It suited her.

"That's my full first name. You have yet to guess what everyone calls me on a daily basis," she said resuming her drawing again with a little less fluid motion than the other times I have seen her use.

"Bella." It wasn't a question. '_Bella does mean beautiful, and she _is _beautiful.'_

"Yes. Now tell me your name."

I raised an eyebrow although she couldn't see me and stated, "Nuh-uh. You had me guess your name, now you'll guess mine." I chuckled a little when Bella crinkled her nose in an annoyed jesture.

"Can you give me hint like I gave you in turn?"

"E."

"Earl?" I started laughing hard at the name. To think my name was Earl was hard to believe; I looked nothing like an Earl. "Just returning the sentiment," she muttered.

"No. It's not Earl."

"Emmett, perhaps?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"No."

"Hmmm... Earvin?" Shake of the head. "Easter?"

"That's a name of a h-" She stopped me from speaking.

"I know, I know. but what you didn't know was that it can also be the name of a boy," she copied my words from earlier, stopping what she was doing to look over at me lounging on the rock.

Ouch.

So, I guess I sort of did deserve that.

"Eberhard?"

"No I didn't think so," Bella went on without a reply.

"Edmond?"

"Close," was all she got.

"Edmund?"

"You have the Ed part right, and it does end in a d."

"Edwald?"

I think Bella said that just to piss me off.

I glared at her.

"I give up, I guess you have to tell me," she said playfully.

"Actually," I replied, giving more than a one word answer, "If you think really hard you might figure it out."

"I don't think I will," she said stubbornly. "I'm done with my drawing. Let's go find another place."

"Are you just going to stay out all night and draw places?" I asked genuinely confused. She looked at me and nodded, the argument to say my name forgotten.

"Pretty much," Bella said distractedly, "i'm usually not allowed to be out of sight without some one there to protect me."

"Why?" I asked flabbergasted. That seemed like a stupid thing.

She seemed to catch what she had said and corrected, "I mean, I usually don't like to go any place without someone there to help me."

"Because you might fall off 12 foot cliffs?" I asked not believing a word for a minute.

"Yes?" It sounded more like question.

I decided to give her mercy and drop the subject for now. "I know this place-"

"Is this place, perhaps, a far away walk? Where people can't hear an innocent girl's cries for help?"

I chuckled, "If you want it to be."

She glared at me which made me laugh some more.

She turned toward the edge of the ciff and stared down it. "How are we going to get back down?" I think I heard some fear in her voice but didn't acknowledge it, already having the answer.

I walked over and grabbed onto her shoulders, a big grin on my face. I pretended to fall forward, taking her with me, "Wh-who-wh-whoa..."

While I did this she screamed, "AHHH!" The grin slowy starting to dissipate.

I stopped just before I was about to loose my balance and swung her around in my arms to face me. "Boo..." I started laughing at the terrified expression on her face and straightened her upright, setting her right on her feet.

When I let go of her she said, "HUH! Can you stop scaring me for one second and tell me how we're going to get down, E-" She started to raise her arm to smack my shoulder, but I was too fast and got out of the way in time. She lost her balance and started tumbling toward the edge of the cliff.

Having my fast reflexes, I jumped throwing my arms around her, tumbling towards the ground. I landed on my back with her on top of my chest, "-dward."

My mind took a moment to piece together what Bella just said, "What did you just say?" The corners of my lips turning up.

A small crease appeared between her brow, then her eyes half-lit up with realization, "I said to tell me how we we're going to get down from this cliff, _Edwald."_

"No, I believe you just said my real name, not something close to it."

Her eyes narrowed in difference and a hint of something else and said, "What? So I was right when I said your name was Edwald? I can't really trust you, can I?"

I don't know why but I felt hurt when she said that. I tried to keep the hurt out of my voice when I spoke, but failed, "No. You can trust me; and my name is not Edwald. It's Edward."

A big grin appeared on Bella's face lighting up my dark, hurt one, her eyes not as bright as her face made them appear. She stood up and said, "Oh. I know your name was Edward; I just wanted you to tell me that instead of making me guess."

My brows furrowed. Something in her eyes made me hesitant to believe that; and I don't know why, but I've learned to always go with your gut feeling: never second guess yourself. "But... Why?"

She seemed to stutter for a bit, "Um.. I ju-just told-d you wh-y-why."

I was sure now.

I sat up in a sitting position"No. You just told an easy lie to get out of the real truth behind the reason," I was growing more and more confident with my reasoning behind it. Bella's facade slowly starting to slip, showing her insecure one instead.

"You know you can trust me," I tried to persuade her more into telling me.

Bella sighed and looked down. "No, I actually don't know if I can trust you." She let out one humorous laugh, "I actually only trust a select few amount of people; not very many."

"Well, I'm telling you, you can trust me." I was starting to get worried for her state of mind; Bella seemed to be getting more and more sad as each word was said.

She shook her head, trying to hold in tears, from what I could see.

"No, I'm actually not sure if I can trust you or not," Bella said, tears in her voice. She went on, "I actually just met you."

I got up fully, standing on my feet, and walked over to her; very mindful that she was on the verge of tears, and not wanting the reason for her to be pushed over the edge me. "What happened? You can tell me; even though we just met, I have a feeling that we're going to be meeting again, soon." Once I said it I knew it was true: we were going to be meeting again, soon. I just had a gut feeling; and I _always_ go with my gut feelings.

They always seemed to be the right choose to go with; hasn't failed me yet.

Bela looked at me with watery eyes, and I couldn't be responsible for my actions anymore.

I went over to her and wrapped my arms around her smaller-than-me frame, and tucked her head under my head in the crook of my neck. I started trying to shush her, but I wasn't doing very good. I guess my actions pushed her over the edge because little drops of water escaped her eyes a second later.

"Shh... It's okay, everything's okay..." I started to say in a soothing tone, like one talking to a crying child. "There's no need to cry..." A couple minutes later she stopped crying and straightened up, out of my arms; I felt the loss of warmth when she left. Bella tried wiping away the still wet tears out of her eyes, and I just stood there, arms at my side.

"I'm sorry I started crying," Bella apologized. "It was very childish of me."

"Even adults can cry," I stated; I was very curious as to why she started. "If I may be as bold to ask, but... why did you start crying?"

Bella looked at me for a second. She seemed to be assessing me, if my intentions were good or not. I guess she saw my honestly curious, sympathetic face I had on, to be true. Mostly because it was honest.

"When I was young..." Bella seemed to be choosing her words carefully. "After my mother died... I was very... fragile. I was a moody little girl who was hard to be around; I was sad most of the time... So was my father, though he was more because he knew her better than I. I was only five at the time, twelve years ago. Anyway, not a lot of people could stand to be around me, only a few people.

"There was this one boy, when I was eight, we talked and had fun. He was the... neighbor's... son. He was very nice and we spent most of our time together. He had bleach blond hair and clear blue eyes; those were the only features I can make out now, it seems..." She seemed to be loosing herself in the memories, so I patiently waited for her to snap out of it. Bella did, a half minute or so later, shaking her head and continuing, "We had the best times together. The world was our playground... so to say, for the lack of better vocabulary... I don't even remember his name now... something like Cane or something similar to it..."

"You're getting of topic now," I said gently, as not to startle her. It didn't happen. Bella jumped up and seemed to remember I was here also. She shook her head again and went on.

"One day, it seemed, his parents, kept him at home and said he couldn't come over again. His parents... They were sent there so got some dirt on us or something. I can't remember exactly. The said he couldn't come over because he wasn't doing well in school. Anyways, my dad got suspicious and sent some... friends over to the boys place.

"By the time the people got there the parents were on their way out of town. Inside of the house, it looked like someone ransacked the place and only had a minute to leave or else something bad was going to happen. They said someone tipped them off and were leaving because of the anonymous tip they got. They didn't even try to plead not guilty, they admitted to the crime and took full blame."

Bella gave a humorous laugh. "They used my father's daughter, me, to get to him."

When she didn't say anymore, I asked, "Why would people want to get dirt on your father? Is he a big business man or something?"

Bella looked at me with carefully concealed eyes, "I guess you could say he is.. or something." She had this mysterious tone that didn't bode well for me.

I had a feeling she didn't want me to know what her father did.

I asked one more question to confirm my suspicion, "Is he well known? Would I know of him any chance?"

"I think everyone knows of him." There's that cryptic tone again. She doesn't want me to know what her father does.

"Ever since that boy did that, I've had a hard time trusting people," Bella begun out of the blue.

"What?" I asked having no clue what she was talking about

"That's why I didn't want to say your name," She said like it was the most obvious thing on Earth.

"Because you have a hard time trusting people?" This made no sense at all.

"Yeah."

"Wh- how... exactly?" I asked carefully.

She gave me a look that said I was stupid for not getting it, and said, "Because I didn't know if I could trust you yet."

"That makes no sense." Shaking my head, I gave the ground a complex look.

"Yes it does. You just don't think the way I do," Bella stated stubbornly indifferent.

I sighed saying, "Let's just get down from this cliff before you make up something else that doesn't make sense."

She gave me an annoyed look. "And how do purpose we do that without braking our necks?"

I gave her an amused look, raising my eyebrows. "We go down the dirt hill of course."

Her eyes became wider as she turned around in circles trying to find it. "What? Where is it? I don't see it."

That's because it is well hidden from the clumsy observer."

"So, how do you know of it then, Edward?" I just _barely_ registered that she actually just said my name, and how much better I liked it when she was the one saying it.

My eyes widened at what she was inferring, "Because I'm not a clumsy observer!"

"Wait... You just said my name..." I looked at her with wide eyes, but for a different reason this time.

"It seems I did... Where's the hill you were talking about?" I narrowed my eyes at her and pointed over to the other side of where we came up, over the rock I was sitting against. She walked over there with a smile. When she reached the other side, where the dirt slide was, her smile disappeared.

"And how do you suppose I get down this? I'll still fall and break my neck on the way down!"

I walked over to her and looked down the dirt slide she was pointing down. In the dark you could barely make out the rocks pointing up all over the place. Sharp rocks that could cut you if you weren't careful. I f I was her too, I would be scared of braking my neck or worse...but luckily she had me to help her down.

"That's what I'm for: to help you down without getting hurt," I said pointing to myself.

"And what are you supposed to do?" Bella asked putting her hands on her hips.

I went up, took her hands and stood behind her, hands still in my hands, bent at the elbow, palms facing me. "I'm here to make sure you keep your balance." I nudged her forward, my chest against her back, I bent my arms forward around her, guiding her.

"You don't know what your getting yourself into, Edward," Bella warned in a wavy tone. Taking each step carefully, her back tense against my chest, she let me guide her.

I chuckled a bit, "Sure I do, Bella. Trust me."

She took in a breath and let it out. "Okay."

I smiled and hugged her tighter to my chest, making sure to never loosen my grip, to let her slip.

I still couldn't believe that she trusted me this easily, especially after what that boy did to her and her father... How could she trust me this easily? It just doesn't make any sense. I mean, sure, I would never intentionally hurt her, but to me it looks like she was letting me in to her trust circle too easily. She would never know if I had a secret motive or not, and she would never be aware of it; if I did have one, that is. She seems like a genuinely sweet girl... How could someone do that such a sweet innocent girl? Her dad must be someone big, and I mean _big,_ in the business of Aswan, Egypt.**  
**

I caught myself just before I slipped on the last step down the dirt slide, luckily Bella didn't seem to notice it.

Bella again stepped out of my grasp and used me to help steady herself. My hands fell to my side as hers went to the strap of her bag hanging off her shoulder. "Do you know of any other places I could draw that are beautiful?"

"Um... Isn't it getting kinda late?" I was hesitant to take her to my thinking place, it was the only place I had to myself, and because it was so late. Wasn't it like midnight or close to that?

"No," Bella answered without missing a beat. It seemed a little suspicious but I let it go, like she needed this one night. At least that's what my gut was telling me, so I went with it. "Do yo know a place?"

"Yeah, I do. Come on, this way." I guided her to the right, to where my thinking was. We walked for about half an hour, around 1 in the morning. I wonder how long she was going to be out. Bella seemed like she was going to stay out till dawn comes. But what do I know right?

When we got to the place, Bella seemed amazed by it's sheer beauty.

All around us were all kinds of flowers: Geraniums, Lilies, Roses, Anemones, Azaleas, Cherry Blossoms, Daffodils, Hibiscuses, Irises, Lotus Flowers, etc; flowers of different color variety and so many more. The grass was green, not too green, but it had a dark tint to it so it looked magnificent, and some light colored grass in places, not too many. There were trees around the place, some ferns and bushes, and a little stone path leading to a river that, if you listened closely, you could hear in the distance. There were also some more openings in the trees, not that big that if you were to look it would just look like a little opening between them; but if someone was to look closely it would go off into a little trail that also led off to the river.

Over all it was a beautiful meadow. My thinking meadow.

"Wow..." It came out of Bella in a whooshing sound; one to discribe excellence was near. And excellence was near, so it wasn't too far off.

"I know," I agreed, "I come here to think sometimes." Then another thought came to me. "Where's Seth?" I looked into the surrounding trees to see if I could see him. He usually comes out whenever, no matter who's around; but he hasn't come out yet. This wasn't like him. At all.

"Who?"

Of course Bella wouldn't know who Seth was. "Seth; my monkey."

Bella looked over to me with an alarmed look, taking her attention away from the meadow for a minute.

"Don't worry he won't harm you unless you try to harm me... or someone else he lkes for that matter," I stated simply. It did nothing to quell her fears. "Just don't seem like you pose a threat to me and he won't attack."

"Easier said than done," Bella said, trying to calm her breathing.

I was starting to get really worried now. Why hadn't he come out yet? Seth is a fearless monkey, nothing could deter him. Maybe his carelessness this time got him in trouble? But he's always been able to get himself out of trouble; even without my help._ 'Where is he?'_

"Where is Seth?"

"That's what I'm wondering too." I guess we had same thought pattern; but hers was probly along the line of 'why hadn't I been attacked by a monkey yet?', different than what I was thinking. I mean who wouldn't be afraid to be attacked by an unknown monkey?

"Seth!"

"Seth!"

We both shouted simultaneously into the dark of the night, trying to find one little monkey. It didn't seem to work either.

I would have to stop my search because when Seth didn't want to be found, he wasn't found. I told Bella this. She started to calm down, and she did to some degree.

"Okay," Bella said, "but why wouldn't he come out when we called?"

"I would like to know that too, but I can't seem to find the answer to that right now, so I'll search for him later then." _'If only I wouldn't go crazy first trying to find the answer before it was time to know it...'_ I added silently in my head. I most likely would, but I was going to try hard not to first.

"Why don't you try to draw the maedow? It might quell your qualm about a rogue monkey on the loose." I tried to joke the situation off, but I think I succeeded in making it worse actually.

"What will you do?"

"I'll watch you of course."

"But won't you become bored watching me draw? I'm sure I am not that interesting to watch," Bella tried to downgrade herself.

"I assure you I will not become bored; just go on with your drawing, I'll be fine." She seemed reluctant to do so, but did in the end.

"Am I really that interesting to watch draw, Edward?" It seemed hard for her to believe, but I would make her believe in the end.

"It like watching de Vinci paint the Mona Lisa."

"What?" She asked. I repeated. "I can't be that interesting. I'm not even half as good as de Vinci."

"You are right. But it's still interesting to watch you, Bella. You seem to have raw talent, something a lot of people don't have now a days. You're one of a kind. Just like the Mona Lisa was." I looked over at her, "I bet it would have been interesting to watch de Vinci paint it, wouldn't it?"

Bella cracked a smile and laughed a little. "Yeah, it probably would have been a bit interesting to watch him paint the Mona Lisa."

I scoffed, "A bit?"

"Okay," Bella conceeded, "A lot." That was the extent of the conversation.

By this time we were sutting on the grass, each against the trunk of different trees. Bella had her notebook out on her lap, drawing the meadow. I was on a tree a little ways back so I could see what she was drawing. It was as enchanting as last time. I tried memorizing everything she did, but it was really hard to keep up, it was kind of soothing and relaxing to watch. Sometime in the middle of drawing, Bella started humming an unfamiliar tune and I started to dose off some.

"Edward," a familiar voice said in the distance. "Edward." This time it had a slight humor to it. I felt shaking on my shoulder, cueing my time to get up. But the problem was the voice was so soothing I didn't want to get up. I did a quick check to make sure I didn't feel any danger round me but felt none emmediate harm. "Edward," the voice continued to say. "Edward, it's time to get up now."

I feltsometing hard and cold under me. I also felt like I was sitting up, most likely because I was sitting up. The thing behind my back felt like a hard round thing. I felt no sort of comfort at all.

Wasn't I in my bed back at the abandoned apartment building?

Ii felt a warm hand on my sholder, shaking me, the only comfort I got what so ever. "Edward!" The voice started to sound annoyed now. I wonder why? "Edward! Get up!" Oh.

My eyes flttered open to reveal the angel like face of a very pretty girl. This girl had long mahogany hair going down to her waist with chocolate eyes and a heart-shaped face. She was beautiful, not pretty. She seemed very familiar somehow. "Finally, Edward. It took you so long to get up." When she said my name I emmediately placed her.

Bella.

All the memories came flooding back to me when I remembered her name. I was in the forest and I must have fallen asleep on the ground against the tree I was leaning against still. A smile found itself forming on my face. "Sorry. I dozed off. What is it? Something happen?"

"No, nothing exciting happened. You fell asleep when I was drawing the meadow,"Bella said this in a small voice.

I frowned, "What is it?"

Bella returned my frown,saying in a sypathetic tone, "I have to leave now. If I'm found out of my bed I can be in a lot of trouble."

"Oh. Okay," I was saddened by the news but didn't let on. "Do you need help finding your way back?"

"Yeah, thanks." I just realized that she was all packed up; her notebook in her bag, pencil out away. The sun was starting to shine, signaling dawn was approaching. I must have fallen aslee for like four hours. Wow.

I got up and dusted my pants off. Bella straightened up with me and took ahold of her strap on the bag. "Which way?"

I put my hand on the small of her back and guided back the way we came. "This way." Wen we started heading the right way my hand fell from her back, straight back to my side. I stuffed my hand in my pants pockett and walked in smaller steps to match Bella's small pace.

"That meadow was really beautiful. Thank you for taking me there, Edward," Bella said in a small voice, giving a small smile.

I gave her a small smile back in responce.

*~~~...~~~*

I was sad when it was time to depart from Bella. I really enjoyed our time together and wished it could happen more often.

Bella said I could only take her as far as where I first saw her when I was in the alleyway. I asked why, but she refused to tell me why.

"I enjoyed our time together while it lasted, Edward. I wish we could have had longer, but sadly no." Bella seemed truly sad by this, it sort of made me happy she had as a good time as I did.

"Can.. we um.. d-do it again... sometime?" I sounded like such a wimp I wanted to slap myself for it, but I restrained from it and didn't.

"i'm sorry. I don't think we can." No matter what I did my face fell at this information. "But don't think that I don't want to; because i really do." I knew she meant it, the pleading in her eyes made me believe it. "You remember how I said that I have to have people with me where I go?" I nodded. "Well, I'm sort of not supposed to be out right now. I snuck out."

"I know," I said with a small smile I maniged to muster. "I sort of got that through all the sneakiness."

"Well, aren't you smart?" Bella teased.

"Yes I am," I answered her rhetorical question with an answer.

Bella sighed. "I guess this is goodbye."

I smiled saying, "Goodbye then."

"Goodbye, Edward." That was probably the last time I would here her voice say my name. "I had a wonderful time thank you." She gave me a hug and turned to walk away.

Bella quickly turned back around, ran up to me, gave me a peck on the cheek, and ran into the blackness that the trees over head provided.

_'What just happened?' _I asked myself over and over again on my way home. I shook it off and thought of it as a one time happening. '_I am never going to see her again, so what does it matter?'_

I made my way to my cot in my room once I climbed up the wall and over the ledge.

I then thought of someone I might actually have a chance of seeing again: Seth. If only I could find out where he was... I moved aside the vail to reveal the object of my desires.

"Hello, Edward. We've been expecting you."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey, I hope you liked the chapter! It might be a little weird the way Bella reacted, but she'll explain herself in the next chapter, so don't worry if your a little confused.

**Important note: **I am going on a vacation for a week so I will not be able to update for at least 2 weeks. Just a little heads up. And my house is still gong through construction, so it may take a little time for me to update each chapter. I am telling you guys this so you won't have to check every day and become annoyed with me and maybe stop following or something.

So... who do you think has been expecting Edward at his place? Who was the misterious boy Bella is talking about when she was younger? Why waas Bella reacting the way she was around Edward? Why was Edward reacting like that? Where did Seth go?

All is to come to pass, so be patient!

Review? I would love some.

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Thanks for reading!  
~Cynthia~


	6. Shock

**A/N/Disclaimer: **A some people pointed out that this is the plot of Aladdin; so, yes I did get the idea from Aladdin, but, no, it will not be the exact same. Mine will have some twists to it. Like Edward saving Bella from the cliff in the forest at night, not in the daylight in the market. So the main idea for this story belongs to Aladdin and anything else you recognize from it, but the twists are completely mine. Twilight belongs to SM. And thank you for all the reviews; I loved them. They really help.

Enjoy!

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 6

BPOV

'_I can't believe I just did that.'_

_'I must be crazy.'_

_'That's it.'_

_'I'm going crazy.'_

I shook my head to clear it, unsuccessfully. I was trying to figure out why I just pecked him on the cheek. But came up unsuccessfullly again. I started playing with my bracelet to distract myself. It worked to some degree, so I kept doing it. I traced over all the outlines in it, over the Swan.

For such a painful reminder, it sure calmed me down. It hurt to think about mother sometimes, but she had always been my safe-house no matter what. When everything in my child world turned upside down, mom was always there to fix it. I guess I had Esme for that now. Esme had helped me through so much now, she's like my newly-designed safe-house.

Thinking about all the times Esme has helped me through a problem, I remembered the thing I told Edward about. I still can't believe I told him that. I haven't talked about that since it happened... I actually can't believe I started the water works in front of Edward. It was like I felt I could be myself around him. He was different... I just don't know how or why I believe this, but I do. I had a gut feeling pulling me in the direction to trust Edward, so I gave into it; that little voice in the back of my head.

And saying that we couldn't talk anymore hurt. A lot. I had fun talking to him, and I didn't want to give it up. It was nice to act like a normal person for once in my life; not a princess.

I knew I shouldn't have been feeling like this over a complete stranger, but yet... here I was.

It was like a game of tug-of-war, and I lost.

The branches crunching under my feet brought me back to reality.

I sighed, walking in between the tree trunks and over the twigs and leaves on the ground. I was running my right hand over the surfaces of the large trunks next to me when I felt something sharp and slim enter my hand.

"Ow," I said looking over my finger, only to discover that I had a splinter. I looked up to see how far I had to go till I had to climb back up the tree to get over the wall. Not that far. I would let Esme take it out; because I would probably get it more stuck in my finger further. I walked the remaining distance, all of 3 yards, and tried climbing up. I said tried because I couldn't quite climb up the tree. I frowned, trying to think of a solution. There was very little I could do for a solution.

I sighed, pulling off some of my right sleeve with my left hand and tie it over my splintered finger. That will have to do. I walk forward and grab onto the vines and branches, climbing it. When I get to the top, I sigh and start going down the other side.

I land on my feet with a little wobble to my step, and start walking. I got to the gates okay, and went through them. On my way, I see that the workers working on the rooms for the suiters have finished getting ready the rooms. I sigh walking through the halls, remembering what I have to do in a few short hours. I'm not very excited about it. I mean, why would I be excited to being forced to pick out my husband, spouse, and equal? My equal should be someone who picks out me, and I them; not who one person picks someone because they better suite that persons needs.

I hated this.

What's even worse: The guys who are actually coming here, _want_ to be here, and be picked. All that really says about the guys character is that all he cares about is getting power and money; not the other person, or who their going to be tied to the rest of their lives. It's disgusting and revolting.

I seriously don't know why Charlie was making me do this. He knows I don't want to do this, but he doesn't know _why exactly_ I don't want to do it. I probably should have told him I don't want to do it because that very reason. But I didn't, so I guess this is the consequence of not. But I was too shy, didn't want to be thought of as an ungrateful child or something; so I just let him go through with it. I should have told him.

But again... I had a gut feeling I shouldn't have, the little voice. And I listened to my gut then, too. I had a feeling these 'gut feelings' were going to get me into some trouble. If only I knew how much, and how soon...

But I also had a feeling that they were going to change my life for the better. I don't know how or why... I just knew. Call it a given.

When I got back to my room, I dressed down to my night-y and got in bed. My head hit the pillow and I was out like a light; the nights stress disappearing.

*~~~...~~~*

The beeping and the shining lights woke me up.

I could feel someone gently shaking my shoulder. "Bella, you have to get up, sweetie," the voice spoke.

I groaned turning over to see the persons face. It was Esme. "Do I have to? Can't I just spend the day in bed?"

Esme chuckled, shaking her head. "No, you have to get up. You remember what today is, don't you?"

My brows scrunched together in deep thought. I gave up shaking my head. Esme sighed sadly, saying, "You have to meet the lovely young men coming today. Their just arriving now actually, I think. Go look out of the balcony and I believe you can see them." I groaned finally realizing what today is.

I was hesitant to get up, so I got up slowly. "That's it. Go on now," Esme urged me further. I looked out the balcony window to see about 5 carriages coming up the pathway to the palace entrance.

I turned around, surprised. "There's only 5 princes coming?"

Esme looked at me quizzically. "No... Oh. Yes. There's only 5 today. More are coming tomorrow, I believe."

I groaned, going back to the bed and falling on it. My back hit the bed, bouncing some from the sudden weight. "I don't want to do this."

Esme sighed. "Well, it looks like you are going to have to continue with it."

"That's so helpful," I muttered, my brow scrunching together through out my sentence. I sat up suddenly, looking at a startled Esme. "Sorry."

I sighed. "You know why I don't want to do this right, Esme?" I asked her. She shook her head no. Right. I didn't tell anybody the reason I didn't want to do this. "Well." This was going to be hard to explain. "I don't want to choice someone who's supposed to be my spouse, my equal. You know? We have to choice each other, not one choosing the other and calling all the shots. That's not how a relationship works. And... It shows that all the men who come only seek money and power. Not to choose a mate for life, their other half. It's disgusting and revolting." I finished my rant with a huff of breath and a frown.

Esme sat down next to me on the bed somewhere during my little speech, listening intently. She looked at me with motherly love. "Oh, Bella," she sighed. "I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always do."

"I know." I looked up at her. "But I'm not so sure about this one. It's different... It's..."

"Harder," Esme finished for me. "More challenging. But when have you not accepted a challenge? Even when it was harder than it asked for? You've always risen to the challenge; so rise to this one. I've seen you grow so strong; don't let them beat you down. You're a wonderful woman. Remember: You can do anything you set your mind to. And if I know you, you can be quite stubborn when you set your mind to something. Theodore Roosevelt said, "_Believe you can and you're halfway there. And I know, deep down in you, that you think you can do it too, Bella._"

I smiled up at her. She's always has the right words to say when I need to hear them the most. I looked down quoting: "_"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." _Mary Kay Ash." I looked up at Esme then. "My mom used to tell me that all the time. She said I could be whatever I wanted to be, also. But she always told me that quote the most. I guess it stuck with me after all this time." A tear fell down my cheek, thinking of all the times I spent with my mom. They weren't a lot, and were a bit scratchy since I was so young, but some I remember with perfect clarity. Like when I was two, how she first told me that quote...

_~Flashback~_

_"I can't do it, mommy," I said looking up at her._

_"Yes you can. Try again, Bella. I know you can do it," Mommy said to me. "Trust me." She looked down and smiled warmly at me._

_I looked back down at the book I was trying to read, but couldn't sound out the words. All the sounds were mixing together, making everything confusing. I was reading, "_The Giving Tree_" by Shel Silverstein. There were some big words that I couldn't pronounce right, but that's what Mommy was there for. To help me._

_I tried again, but every time I pronounced a word wrong, I didn't like it._

_"Let's start at the beginning again," My Mommy said._

_"Okay." I went back to the beginning and started again, "Once... there wa-w-was a...t-tree." I tried sounding out the words, stuttering all the way, and got about half way through until I messed up again. I huffed and looked up at at Mommy. "I can't do it. The words are too confusing to sound out." I pouted looking down at the book._

_Mommy sighed, "Bella, you have to at least try."_

_"I am trying! It's just..."_

_"You're limiting yourself to what you want to think, Bella," Mommy told me softly. My mom used to tell me this quote... She said, whenever I had trouble with something to always think of it, and it could get it me through anything. As long as I believed in it. Would you like to hear it, too, Bella? It might help you, too, like it helped me."_

_I nodded eagerly to hear it._

_"Okay._ "Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." Mary Kay Ash."_ Mommy recited. "Remember you can only go as far as your mind can limit you, Bella. Let your mind push the boundaries of what you think you can do, and can't."_

_"So what your saying is that, since I think I can't do this, I really can?"_

_"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. So what should you do?"_

_"Try again," I muttered. I looked down at the book and started over again._

_..._

_"Well done, Bella. I knew you could do it," Mommy said happily, an hour later._

_I beamed up at her. "Thank you, Mommy. I couldn't __have done it without you." I yawned a second later, tired from the stress that was brought with the reading._

_Mamma chuckled some. "I guess it's time for someones' nap. Come on, pretty girl," She said, picking me up._

_She laid me down in bed, tucked me in and kissed my forehead. "Love you, sweetie. Get some rest."_

_"Love ya too, Mamma," I yawned, barely getting it out in time, before I slipped into my sleep._

_~End of Flashback~_

"-me pick her out," Esme was saying. I smiled apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying, Esme? I zoned out for a minute," I said with a sheepish smile.

"You have to help me pick out the new maid. There is one coming tomorrow, I believe. Her name should be Alice something. I can't remember her last name," Esme informed me again."There is also two more coming today. Your gonna help me interview them after you meet the men."

"Huh... When am I meeting the men exactly?" I asked her, already dreading the answer.

"After breakfast, darling," Esme said apologetically.

"So about 2 hours from now?" I asked.

Esme nodded her head.

"Okay, I'll take a shower first, then go down to breakfast."

It's safe to say I took a long a long shower, letting the hot water cascade down my backside, relaxing my muscles. I shampooed and conditioned, and washed my body, staying under the spray for most of it. I didn't want to seal my fate faster. I guess you could say I wanted it slow and torturous, dragging it out. Waiting longer, to have a few more minutes of freedom of being held down to someone I didn't want to be held down to. I got out of the shower and dressed slowly into a nice flower print dress and matching flats.

When I got down to breakfast, with the usual guard beside me, I sat down at the table. A minute later in walked Charlie in his usual suit and tie. He sat down while the kitchen brought out the food of eggs and beacon, with a pancake. Once I finished breakfast, my dad finally spoke.

"Bella, it's time for you to meet the young men who have come to win your hand in marriage."

"Okay. Where do I meet them at?" I reluctantly asked.

"You meet them at the garden outside," Charlie said.

"Okay," I muttered, getting up and pushing my chair in.

I had Jasper and Emmett escort me out to the gardens to meet them. When we were walking Emmett started to talk. "Hey, Bella?"

I looked over at him, "Yeah, Emmett?"

He grinned down at me, "In case any of those men try something, I'll be standing beside you the whole time, so don't worry any one of those men try to do something they shouldn't; I'll be there, looking as threatening as ever." He puffed out his chest, put his hands on his hips, and put an intimidating expression on his face. Jasper and I tried to not laugh, but when he started walking funny that was the undoing point for us. We burst out laughing, slowing down our walk. Eventually our laughter was contagious to Emmett, and he started laughing too. We calmed down enough to continue walking at normal pace,but still chuckling some.

I looked up at Emmett with brotherly love, "Thanks, Emmett. That means a lot to me."

"Your welcome."

"Hey, what about me?" Jasper asked, feigning hurt. He put a hand to his chest with a mock surprised look on his face. "I'm more than just eye candy here. I want to protect ya sum' too." His accent came out a little at the end there.

"Just don't get in the way of my spot light, sonny boy," Emmett said.

"Sonny boy?" Jasper said in disgust.

"Yep!"

Jasper moved around me and bumped his shoulder with Emmett, scowling. "Don't call me that. Ever. Again," Jasper said, warning him.

"Fine," Emmett huffed. He wasn't one much for a fight, even though he looked like a body builder.

We got to the gardens without further incident, and meet the princes out there. What surprised me the most was the striking green eyes; the eyes of my savior from the cliff dive I went on earlier that night. My eyes widened looking at him.

'_What the heck was going on? Edward?'_

I suddenly gasped, realization washing over me.

"Bella, what is it?" Jasper muttered to me, noticing my shock.

"Nothing," I halfheartedly said, my mind on other things.

'_Edward? A _prince?'

* * *

_**A/N: **Hey there! Hope you liked it! But I have to ask... How many of you saw that ending coming? Edward being there? I'm just curious. I did make it kind of obvious. Review! Tell me how you liked it, how you didn't. It would help._

_Like I said before, you will see things you may recognize from Aladdin, and it most likely is. But this story will NOT be the same; it will be different, have a different ending... sort of._

_Anyways, I had a great vacation. I am sorry if the chapter was late. My brother has a wedding on Wednesday and I've been kind of busy with the house work around my house. It's actually midnight right now and I couldn't sleep, so decided to finish it._

_On happy news, the next chapter is halfway written, I was sort of writing it before I even finished with this one, so that's why this one is kinda late._

_Review!_

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_~Cynthia~_


	7. Threatening and Persuasions

**_A/N: _****Thank you for the reviews. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**_Disclaimer:_**** I don't own Twilight. All belongs to S.M. that is pertaining to it. And anything else you may read that belongs as someone else's idea.**

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Troubled Love

Chapter 7

EPOV

"Hello, Edward. We've been expecting you." A voice that sent shivers down my spine said. Across the room was two men with blond and dark colored hair and varying shades of grey eyes; the coldest I have ever seen. They were holding a cage with Seth in it. Seth hated being caged up, he liked being out in the open, free. Seth was banging against the cage door, making relentless moves to get out of the thing he hated most.

The man with blond colored hair said, "My name is Caius. My brothers' name is Marcus. We're here to make a deal with you, on the exchange of this little monkey here."

I was so angry I let the anger consume me. "Let Seth go. Now."

"Oh, but that would be too easy wouldn't it," Marcus spoke for the first time. I think he had an even more bone chilling voice than his apparent brother, Caius.

I looked back and forth between the two invaders. They wanted me to do something in exchange for Seth. But... Why me? Why take my monkey and torture it in something as cruel as a cage? What for? What was the purpose? Couldn't these men go to someone else? Take something dear to that person and make them do the deed? What was the deed? Better yet, why couldn't they do it themselves? Why make innocent people do their bidding? As innocent as I can be being me.

And yet, I had no answers to these questions I seek to be answered. The only way was through these men...

"What do you want?" I spoke with a deadly low voice. Seth had calmed down a bit since I first spotted him, knowing I was near and going to help him; only a minimal banging now. Seth really did _not_ like cages at all. It made him feel trapped, like he was a prisoner. Nobody deserves to be treated like a prisoner; even an animal. It reminded him of his previous life. But I can't get into that now.

"We came to see if you'll help us with a little problem of ours," Caius spoke. It looked like he was going to be the main one speaking; the Marcus guy seemed more guarded than his brother.

"No." I answered even though I knew what he was going to say next.

"You see, Edward, that's not your decision to make. Let's just say I might want to keep your little friend here if you don't. And you should know, I'm not the best pet owner." He was leaning back waving his hand around; acting as he was commenting on something as mundane like the weather. But I heard his underlying meaning.

"Why do I have to help you with _your _problem? It's of no concern to me." This guy was starting to piss me off. First, coming in here thinking he can boss me around like some little kid. Second: taking Seth. Third, threatening me into doing _his _bidding with Seth. _Then_, threatening to kill Seth if I don't obey him.

"Must you always threaten people, brother?" Marcus moved his hand to cover a yawn. He looked bored like he's done something like this before and it actually _bored_ him!

"Yes. Otherwise, people won't take me serious. Now will you please start taking this seriously, Marcus?" Caius seemed annoyed by his brothers' lack of enthusiasm. "Now, Edward. Where were we?"

"You were about to give me Seth back."

Caius chuckled a little, while Marcus rolled his eyes; both at my feeble attempt.

_'Hey. It was worth a try.'_

"No. You were going to help us with something, I believe," Caius mused. "Oh. Yes. You _were_ going to help us. Now, why don't you explain the next part, Marcus?"

Marcus sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "Do I have too?"

"Yes."

"Okay then." Marcus looked up at me. "We want you to sneak into the palace a-"

I snorted. "Even I'm not that good -or crazy enough- to even attempt that."

"You didn't let me finish, Edward." Marcus regarded me coldly," We have everything already arranged. All you have to do is show up and do what we tell you to do."

"Why are you picking me to do this? Why not your lovely selves?"

"Because we have this other brother-"

"I wouldn't have guessed," I muttered under my breath.

"-that," Marcus glared at me. "He's going against what we have planned."

"And what do you have planned, exactly, that you can't do yourselves?" I asked in an offhand tone, but real curiosity burning underneath it.

"We want to take over Aswan."

My eyes widened at the realization of exactly how crazy these men actually were. "Why?" I couldn't hide the curiosity this time.

"Because," Caius said with loathing in his tone, "Charlie Swan's father."

"What about him?" All I heard about him was when Uncle Anthony talked about him; all I remember was only good.

"He took something from our father. It's an heirloom of sorts; a necklace. He was going to give this necklace to our mother, but that wretched crook took it from him. We were only babies when this happened, but we still remember how it broke our father and mother's heart to have it taken. And now, we want it back."

"What are you going to do when you get it back?" It seemed like a stupid thing to do. I mean, did they have a lady to give it to or something? Would they wear it themselves? It just seemed pointless.

They looked at each other with a thoughtful expression and turned back to me. Caius shrugged, answering, "Wait to give it to that someone special. We hadn't really thought about that part yet. But, when we do get it- and we will- it will show, that if people take something of ours, we'll come back ten times worse." He had a smug expression on his face now. It really didn't look all that good.

"Okay." These men were definite psychos; they needed help. "Next question: Who's your brother and what has he done?"

"Aro," Marcus mused of his own free will. He had to speak quite loudly though; over Seth's harassment to the cage still going on. "You see, we had this plan of going in and taking it over from the inside. The princess is choosing the next king and her husband, and we were going to use that as our entry. But, Aro has been off his rocker lately." I snorted. It seems like they've all been off their rocker lately; not just this Aro person. "Anyways," Marcus continued. "He went ahead and tried to tell us that he went to do some research, and found out that originally it was our father that took it from Henry Swan, Charlie Swan's father, and that we shouldn't continue with our plan of revenge. That it would only end in disaster. He said if we didn't he would stop us himself."

Well I guess I'm wrong. Not all of them are off their rocker. This Aro character person seems to have a little sense in him left.

"So," Caius left off where his brother ended. "We need you to go in and do this for us."

"I still don't get the 'why' part of it?" I asked. "And what exactly is Aro doing to foil it?"

"He's going to first try to win the princesses affection. And if that doesn't work, he's going to eliminate us himself. First: by exposing us for what we are trying to do. And if even _that _doesn't work, second, by killing us."

"As if he could kill us," Marcus muttered with a snort. "We taught him all he knows." He rolled his eyes.

"Too true, Marcus. Too true..." Caius agreed wistfully.

I had a feeling they were both lying about that part. And another one that this Aro guy wasn't half-bad. He was trying to stop something that could be deadly for many people.

"What about the 'why' part? Haven't answered that yet."

"We were getting to that part," Caius said annoyed.

"Well?" I looked at them expectantly.

Caius glared at me, about to retort. "Right," Marcus said trying to defuse the situation; although I didn't see the point. Caius and I were going at each others' necks here. It was only a matter of time before it starts getting physical, not just verbal. "We're doing this because we want to show people that we are _not_ pushovers."

"And now the how?" I asked. "How are you going to use me in this ridiculous plan of yours?"

"It's not ridiculous!" Caius shouted at me.

"Shut up! Both of you!" Marcus said. "The only way we're going to get through this succeeding is if we all work together." He was wiggling his finger at us like we were little children. And I guess from his perspective we were acting like it.

"I don't even want to do this!" I was flabbergasted! Why are they pulling me into something I very clearly think is stupid and not want to do?! I just don't get it! I mean I could ruin their chance at succeeding! Couldn't they see this? "Ugh!" Oops. I didn't mean to say that out load. I just can't control my mouth when I'm angry, I guess.

"Hey!"Marcus yelled. "You better start being nicer to us. Or do you want your monkey to take a trip to visit monkey heaven?"

Monkey heaven?

Okay, I knew this was a serious situation; but seriously? Monkey heaven? I'm not a little two-year-old here.

While laughing internally, I said, "No, I don't." Adding in a serious look on my face, as not to give away what was going on in my head at that moment.

"Then you're going to do as we instruct you to," Marcus said in a flustered tone, I guess from all the tension in the room at the moment.

He huffed out a breath, while an exuberant Caius continued on for him, "Now the exciting part of the night!"

*~~~...~~~*

They went on to tell me what I had to do, how I had to do it, and who to steer clear of while in not to bring attention to myself and the plan that I was to execute.

After they had control and were happy with my work, I could have Seth back. And they so-called promised me not to hurt Seth.

I knew they were lying when they said that so I concocted a plan to get him back.

"I actually think I'll need help when I'm in there. And Seth's tiny frame and quick, but sure movements will be perfect for it." Step one in my plan to get him back: Plant the suggestion -and maybe doubt- in their heads.

"And what would that be for?" Marcus seemed to calm down some and went back to his quiet, guarded state of looking bored with everything happening around him.

"Well, you said that you already had an inside person- working in the kitchens, I think? And he was supposed to help me? There might be a problem with this plan." I folded my hands and looked at the two of them questionably.

"Yes..." They were becoming hesitant, but their curiosity fueled them to keep talking.

"Well..." Pause. Escalating the need to know where I was taking this. "I was just thinking..." Another pause. They started leaning forward, intrigued to what I had to say.

"Just spit it out already!" Caius yelled, annoyed at my pauses.

"Okay. Okay." This was getting funny. Although I probably shouldn't be trying their patients at this point; they were the ones in control. Step two: convince them of the suggestion-or doubt- they might be having. "How would he recognize me? I mean there are going to be other _contestants_ there... How will he know which one you guys sent in? Seth will help him to distinguish who is who. It might jeopardize the plan if he starts talking to the wrong guy about the plan. He might get fired, that way he couldn't get the information to me, because the person he talked to thinks that he went crazy and decided to report it. Or they decide to investigate it further and find that your behind it..." I trailed off, letting them think over what I just said. As an afterthought I added, "And Seth is pretty cute. I could probably win her over with it." I grinned at a distressed, caged Seth. He seemed to become wary of me when I did that. Probably thinking I've gone insane. He slowed his banging on the cage some, down. But he immediately started up again when the grin slowly dissipated. Maybe he was right; I probably was going insane.

Caius looked uneasily over at Marcus, both thinking over my words; Trying to think if I was serious or if it was all a bluff.

The truth was, I honestly was picking at sticks here, trying to convince them to give me back Seth. Good thing I was good at lying, because they would have caught me on my bluff.

A minute after thinking it over, Caius said, "Well... I guess you _do_ have a point... So I guess you can have Seth back..." I never said he had to willingly give over Seth. By the tone of voice he was using, and the pauses, he really didn't want to give me back him. "But just know," he threatened. "That if you screw up the plan, that the monkey _and _you will pay the consequences." And there's the threat. I guess it was suspected.

By giving me back Seth, which means that I can pretty much blow off the plan and do what I want. Ultimately ruining their plan.

"Just know, that if you do disobey us," Caius seemed to be saying. I was too happy that I was getting Seth back to listen, although I didn't show it on the outside. "We _will_ find out. And if we do, then neither of you may have a happy ending."

I guess he liked to be the one to threaten people. To be the intimidating one that's always in charge.

Marcus could have his moments, but nothing really excited him much. He had a short temper, which I learned quickly.

When I got Seth back, and they had their stuff in hand, already given my disguise and such, they took their leave.

Before stepping out of the room, Marcus turned around and said, "He will be here soon. I would get some sleep if I were you. And remember... you don't want to cross us." With that said, he turned around and left out the door, with a sweep of his cloak. I guess Marcus could make threats too... when he wasn't bored out of his mind to do so.

He was obviously talking about the person who was going to take me to the palace. _After_ he got me ready and suitable, that is.

I went over and let Seth out of the cage, dodging him when he jumped out.

Like I said.

He _really _hated cages.

After Seth was settled and happy to be out, and I didn't have to worry about him, I dropped into bed.

I had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a day filled with a _lot_ of questions. Whether I was the one asking them or getting asked them, I wasn't so sure.

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**_A/N: _****I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I was really excited about writing this one. It's the turning point in the story that shapes most of it.**

**I have a question. Would you guys like me to put flashbacks in the future chapters about what went on with what the three talked about, make it a whole chapter instead of breaking it up, or not including it at all?**

**Review what you would like me to do.**

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**:)**

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**+.+**

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**Sorry about the creativeness of the faces. I'm not that good at it.**

**~Cynthia~**


	8. Arrival

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any part of the saga, otherwise Edward wouldn't have been such a jerk and left. Neither do I own the song displayed below, that belongs to it's respectful owner(s) as well.

Enjoy!

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Troubled Love

Chapter 8

EPOV

There was someone shoving me, urging me to get up. But I really didn't want to.

"Hey. Get up." Some more shoving accommodated the voice. "Dude. Hey, Dude. Get up."

I rolled over to see a man's face. A face I didn't recognize. That immediately set bells off in my head.

I finished quickly rolling over, bringing my hand up to aim for his throat. When I had his throat firmly in my hand, I shoved him back against the floor, me hovering over his body with a look that could send him 7 feet under.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I laced my tone with some iciness. He started coughing and clutching at my wrist to get it off him. I loosened my grip on his throat some, seeing as he could barely breathe.

"Caius and-" cough "-Marcus-" cough "-sent me." He started breathing hard, so I took my hand off his throat all the way. I rolled back into my bed, my back hitting the wall and head rolling to the side with my eyes closed. I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "You're not a morning person, are you? Seeing as you almost killed me there."

This guy was really starting to get on my nerves with his attempt at a joke. A bad attempt, I might add. "You really don't care about your life do you? Seeing as I can still kill you if you don't shut up." That shut him up. I opened my eyes to still see him lying on the floor in the same position I held him at, his hands still on his throat.

I put my hands on the ground, pushing myself up to walk over to basin of water and splash some on my face. I washed some of the dirt off my face and looked over to Seth. I walked over to him and gave him a hard shove. Learning from last time, I quickly sidestepped him when his hand shot out. I laughed and pushed him into a sitting position.

I looked over at the guy again to see he was rubbing his throat and sitting up slowly. I realized I couldn't keep calling him "the guy", or something along that line, so I asked, "What's your name, by the way? Caius and Marcus never told me."

He looked over at me and said, "It's Quill. I could ask you the same thing. What's yours?"

"Edward."

I went over and offered my hand to him. He flinched back slightly, and I could see he was still a bit wary of me. I sighed. People always become cautious of me somehow or another. There was only one person who I can remember that didn't: Bella.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, you know? Not unless you force me to." I sighed, my hand still held out in offer and my head fell back. I rolled my eyes when he very hesitantly put his hand in my proffered one. '_Wimp...'_ Although he didn't look like one at first, what with his brood, buff, tan shoulders, and tall form -heck, he was even taller than me when standing up- I guess, he had a squishy interior and a hard exterior. Unlike me. I had a hard interior and exterior al around, although I rarely showed the interior of myself to people, especially to the male population of the Aswan. There is a small chance that a female would experience the nice side of me. Like the Cullen family -they were the only males that got to see it- and Bella. I don't even remember thinking about how I wasn't cold to her; I st kind of opened up; I had a sort of protective feeling when I was with her.

"So what exactly are you going to do to me?" I asked. "The Circus Brothers never really explained that to me in great detail."

Quill raised an eyebrow at me. "The 'Circus Brothers'?"

"Yeah." I shrugged. "Their crazy like circus people and their brothers. The Circus Brothers."

Quill chuckled a bit at my explanation, but otherwise accepted it. "Oh, and I'm not sure or not whether to add in their other brother-"

"Aro," Quill supplied.

"Yeah, Aro. I'm not sure whether or not to include him. I haven't met him yet... so, yeah." '_Did I just ramble?'_ I shook my head to clear it, and went back to what we were previously talking about. "So what are you going to be doing?"

"i'm just make you look like a million bucks. Which shouldn't be too hard."

I raised my eyebrow this time and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Quill looked back up at me from where he was getting his stuff ready. "I mean. Look at you." He waved his hand up and down me, as if proving his point. When I didn't respond, he continued. "You look like a model. And you just woke up, too!" When I still didn't show any signs of understanding he went back to ruffling in his Case of Mystery. Yes I have stupid name for things and people, deal with it. "Where is it...?" Quill was still n=in his bag searching of the thing of desire for him. "Ah ha. Here it...is." He held up what looked like a mirror and shoved it in front of my face. "See? You look amazing and you _just_ woke up!"

I grabbed the mirror from his shaking hand and took it upon myself to hold and look through. And what I saw shocked me.

I saw... me... I guess.

I had bright, deep green eyes set on a pale face. A sharp jawline protruded under my lips and chin. On the top was a mess of bronze hair that didn't neither look messy or styled. Of course I wouldn't know what styled hair is or if it was professionally done, but I guess you could classify this as nice hair or something close to it at least. I've only seen my reflection a few times in water or a glimpse of a mirror I've seen while visiting Rosalie, things like that. I've never really cared about my appearance, I had no need to.

I guess I could see what he was talking about. My features said handsome in every aspect of it, I guess. I mean, I know I wasn't ugly or anything, but I was never cocky in my appearance, thinking that I was better looking than other people. I just thought I looked average, like regular kids my age. But now I knew what he meant. I didn't look my age. I looked like an older young man who was blessed with a good appearance. I looked nothing like other kids my age. No that I would call myself a kid, but the other people my age acted like them most of the time.

"See what I mean? You look incredible," Quill was still saying, bringing me out of m reverie. "It's going to be fun working with you." That caught my attention.

"What did you just say? 'It was going to be fun working with me'?" I raised an eyebrow and laughed at his expression when I asked the next question. "Are you _gay_?" I whispered in a superstitious tone. His eyes widened, mouth fallen open in shock, and he vigorously shook his head. He turned bright red and started spluttering, trying to come up with an answer that didn't sound so stupid, but failing. I decided to save him. "Dude, I was just joking. No need to get in a freak about it." I was still chuckling some at the end, but he got what I was saying and relaxed some.

"Lets get back to where we were before the interruption, shall we? We're on a very tight schedule here." I nodded my head and handed him back the mirror. He was still red some, but I ignored it and let him have his dignity. He started pulling things out of his bag and threw some cloths for me to change into. "Here, change into those and then come back out here."

*~~~...~~~*

Imagine a city where everything's pretty  
And you sir, you rule the kingdom  
You call the shots you can do what you want to  
Oh just imagine the freedom

*~~~...~~~*

It was like a fairy tale. Full of treasure and adventures waiting to be discovered and solved. Although some parts were for the quiet, calm parts of me. My very own safe getaway. My quiet, peaceful place. My adventurous world. Filled with freedom and law free.

Except... it wasn't.

*~~~...~~~*

Blue tree tops and velvet skies  
You're ready to blow your mind  
Oooo

*~~~...~~~*

It must be hard to keep an appearance like this one up. It looked like that out of a book that I saw rarely on occasion when I would happen across a book in Dylan's room or on the streets.

Everything surrounding the palace was pristine.

The palace was big and... beautiful. There were no other words for it. It was... beautiful.

It was a couple stories tall, with long green fields surrounding it. Trees surrounding on the outside, it lokoed like there was a forest behind it, but I wasn't so sure. I would have to look later.

The carriage jostled on the rocky dirt ground that led up to the palace. My head bobbing up and down with the movement, my butt hitting the seat was very uncomfortable, but I was too busy taking in the scenery to notice.

*~~~..~~~*

This is a place where your mind can escape  
All the problems today and go far, far away  
This is a time with no history

*~~~...~~~*

It was as if everything was frozen in place. No past, no present, no future. Like a picture. Perfect.

The thing was... How did it come to be if there is no past, present, or future? How did it come to be perfect?

*~~~...~~~*

Welcome to mystery

*~~~...~~~*

Looks like I got myself a mystery.

'_Bring it on...'_

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**Song:** "Welcome To Mystery" by The Plain White T's.

**A/N: **I thought the song was fitting for EPOV when he was entering the castle. He's so used to... non-expensive looking things... that it's all a mystery to him. He doesn't know how to act. Thank you for the reviews, I would love some more! Review!

~Cynthia~


	9. Just My Luck

**_A/N: _**_Hey! Hope you enjoy! I know I'm slacking on updating, but I was decommissioned from my computer for a week. It was getting fixed. Thank you for ya'll reviews, they were lovely!_

_When Edward is viewing the palace imagine something like the White House, but more opener, airier. It won't be as confusing. ;)_

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Twilight or anything you may recognize from copyrighted things, or the White House, sadly. Or the baby aging backwards idea; although that would be awesome to take credit for. ;)_

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Troubled Love

Chapter 9

EPOV

"Good luck, man. You're gonna need it," Quill said to me when he opened the carriage door for me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, taking everything in.

I had managed to get Seth in a cage- how I did that, I have no clue; but was thanking my lucky stars repeatedly- but with the promise to let him out immediately when possible and appropriate. He was just mainly sulking in the corner of his cage throughout the ride. It would have looked weird, if I had Seth on my shoulder while walking around the palace. I didn't want to stand out for the wrong reasons.

The palace was exactly like I first saw it coming in through the gates; just bigger.

I saw the guys in the carriages ahead of mine go up the pathway, as I walked up the said pathway to the big white porch that wrapped all along the front of the building, between the tall, thick pillars. I didn't know exactly what to do, so...I was gonna wing everything I couldn't follow the lead to someone else on.

"Hello. I'm Angela, and I'll be your guide today. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask." When we got to the door a girl -Angela, supposedly- of medium height came out and greeted us. She had light brown hair going down to mid-back in an intricate braid attached to her head thrown carelessly over her shoulder, with her hands clasped behind her back. She seemed shy upon first look and nice; she had a kind face and a small frame with hazel eyes shining in enthusiasm.

Angela turned around and added over her shoulder, "Please follow me, and I'll show to where you'll meet the princess." We followed her through hallways, down corridors, between doorposts. Along the way she explained which rooms were what and which ones we aren't and are allowed to go into; which ones to avoid like a plague. About half an hour later she was leading us out to an open garden, my guess somewhere in the back of the palace, to meet the princess -whose name I have yet to hear. "Here is where you'll meet the princess and her bodyguards." Angela turned to leave, but did a 360 and turned back to us. I had to give her points for style. "Does anybody have any questions?" She asked.

A few hands shot up and I listened closely -they probably would have some of the millions of questions I had; my first one being: who is this supposed princess I had to win over?

"You first," Angela pointed to a guy with a chubby face and blond hair. He sort of seemed like Benjamin Button: Aging backwards.

"Is it true the princess is smoking hot?" I think my jaw dropped open at his bluntness. None of the other guys had the same as my reaction, but then again, I don't know a lot about being royal and how we were supposedly supposed to act. Was this how we were supposed to act? "'Cause I've heard a lot of rumors over the years, and I wanted to know if any of them were true."

Angela sputtered for an answer, "Um, we- um... Uh. I can't really be the judge of that; but I guess she is. I've never really thought of her that way. So, um... I, uh, guess the rumors are true." I guess royals weren't supposed to act this way -that definitely saved me some future trouble -Baby Face was just being a jerk, I assumed. I felt sorry for the poor girl. When she looked at all of our faces, and when she came to mine, I gave her an apologetic smile and made the crazy sign while pointing to Baby Face, with large eyes. She gave a little giggle and looked down blushing. After a minute, she looked up and cleared her throat, "Does anybody else have any questions?"

"Angela!" Angela whipped around at the voice and blushed again, more heavily this time. The voice came from somewhere in the depths of the palace. A second later a head of brown hair popped his head out.

"Hey, Ben. What is it?" Angela looked up sometime when she was speaking to look at him.

The guy -Ben- smiled sweetly at her and answered somewhat hastily. "Esme is looking for you. She needs your help with something."

"Oh. Okay. Tell her I'll be there soon. I just have to finish up here."

"No, Angela. She needs you,_ now," _Ben said with urgency in his voice clear.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but she looked in a panic, trying to find you."

"Okay. I'm coming." She turned back to us and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I hope you all have a nice day." Angela turned to where the Ben guy was, and started scurrying up the steps, muttering to Ben, "Where's Esme?"

I didn't get to hear what was being said at that point because Baby Face and some of the others guys started to talk really loudly, gossiping, if you will, about what was going to happen.

"-can't wait-" one was saying.

"I know!" another one cut the one before him off.

"-smoking hot, yeah!" Men can be such pigs sometimes. Are all these men really care about are looks? Wow. I mean, what if she didn't meet the rumors? What then?

Baby Face looked cocky, saying, "You guys aren't going to have a chance. The princess is going to be all over me when she sees me." He scoffed at the guys' immature acts, while I scoffed at him for his... well, everything about him really; but namely his cockiness.

He must have heard my scoff, because a second after doing so, he turned around and put a sneer on his face. I schooled my face to a blank look and raised an eyebrow at him, silently telling him to continue.

"What are you scoffing at...?"

His not-so-subtle way of getting to learn my name did not go unnoticed. I could either ignore it, or answer it. I opted for ignoring it, "You."

He looked outraged by this answer, "And why are you scoffing at me, Mr...?" Again with the name.

A smirk appeared on my face out of habit. '_I'm gonna have to control that urge.'_ "Because," I decided to play with him a bit. '_This is going to be fun.'_

"Because _what_?" Yes. This is going to be _lots_ of fun. Yes it is. Let's see how far I could push him.

"Because... You know." He looked at me expectantly to continue, but again, I acted like the ignorant one.

When he saw I wasn't going to continue, he sighed aggravated. "Obviously I don't know. So will you please enlighten me?"

"Oh. You need enlightening alright," I muttered, but loud enough for all the men to hear. I sounded bored and dejected, but inside I was laughing my butt off.

"Why you little..." I think I could see steam coming out of his ears. His face was turning red, and it looked like it was about ready to pop off. I let out a huff of breath to cover the laugh that almost escaped. This guy has a little bit of a temper.

He took a step toward me and I did the same, copying him; probably annoying him further.

A throat being cleared stopped it -whatever it was- in its tracks._ 'Aw. It was just getting to the fun part.'_

We all turned back the way we were facing originally -somewhere we moved to where me and Baby Face were standing off. The person that cleared their throat was of a tall stature and a male.

'_Oh crap.'_

This wasn't just any person. This was one of those men that chased me about two days ago in the alleyway. He was the bulky one, but not the overly bulky one. He had shaggy brown hair, running unruly on the top of his head. I think he was the first one that I took down. Was he the one I tripped? I couldn't really place him. His laugh lines were familiar on his face, but not overly-familiar. But I know for sure he was one of them.

'_Of course I would run into him here. He does work for the palace, after all.' _Hopefully he wouldn't recognize me. Hopefully...

The realization took about a second, long enough for him to straighten his shoulders, standing up tall, and look at all of our faces -there weren't that many faces to look at, in the first place.

He paused at mine for a second longer, seeming confused. I held my breath, waiting for him to remember me, for the inevitable to happen.

Except, it didn't; the inevitable didn't happen.

And for that I was thankful.

His brow scrunched up in confusion -obviously remembering me from somewhere, but that somewhere was out of reach in the recess of his mind- and looked on.

A second later, he shook his head from his train of thought, and must have remembered his reason to break up mine and Baby Faces pre-fight talk.

"The princess is heading out here now. I'm Emmett; one of the princess's bodyguards." Well isn't that lovely? Note sarcasm. "So I'm warning you now -don't do anything inappropriate; because I won't hesitate to step in." He flexed his muscles, as if to prove his point, and I swear, most of the men -no boys- beside me almost wet themselves at the sight. "I'll be standing next to her the whole time, too. I'm telling the princess as much."

It was hard to keep the laugh that almost escaped, in; but I managed.

He turned away, but did a half-turn, and looked at us over his shoulder, adding, "And ya'll have the pleasure of meeting Jasper -the princess's other bodyguard." It was said in a southern accent, which made it all the more funny. My lips twitched in amusement, that he was finding my neighbors' reaction to the news, as funny as me. I nearly almost laughed. He had a big grin on his face and went up the steps, calling over his shoulder in the same southern accent, "See ya'll in a bit, ladies." My guess was he was going to find the princess -whose name I have _yet_ to learn _still_. I could tell this was going to be a long tiring day at the rate it was going now.

A couple minutes after Emmett disappeared inside -surprisingly Baby Face wasn't dead yet along with the other _boys_ here; although they were close- he walked back out with a guy with semi-long honey blond hair and a female brunet. My guess was this was the other bodyguard Emmett was talking about, and the princess. I couldn't quite see the princess's face because she had it facing towards the ground, but Blondie had his shoulders squared with a calm confidence aura around him. He looked familiar, just like Emmett had.

_'Looks like my past keeps coming up to haunt me. I can't escape it. Just my luck, too.'_

Blondie looked so familiar because he was with Emmett and the two other men that were chasing me down that retched alleyway two days ago. I wouldn't want to run into them here, now that I thought about it.

In was in the next moment that the princess looked up, and I realized just how much _luck_ I had on my side, and if I had any, how bad it was.

Another thing I realized was that this was not because of my supposed _luck_, or lack thereof of it. It wasn't just a coincidence either.

I have never felt as used and lied to at this moment in time in my life than any other.

Marcus and Caius had planned this. They must have somehow saw that I had... -what? Talked? Conversed? I didn't know- whatever... with the princess, and decided to badger me along to do it. I guess my stealthiest was just a bonus to them.

I froze and I schooled my shock into a passive look, so fast that she couldn't see it. At least I hoped it turned out that way; I wasn't so sure. It seemed her shock was just as great as mine, but she couldn't seem to control it, because it looked like she gasped a little, and Blondie -didn't Emmett say his name before? I wasn't thinking right so I couldn't come up with the name at the moment, and mostly unable by my shock to- asked her something, and she shook her a head a little, hair sweeping over her some and back over to her back, and replied absentmindedly.

Emmett stepped forward, and said, "Men. This is Princess Bella, and Jasper. As I previously mentioned, Jasper and I are her bodyguards. You will not go anywhere without either one of us by your side. Understood?" He flexed his muscles some, reminding us of his previous threat, but I was too far gone in my shock to register anything but one thing he said.

'_Princess?! Bella's a -no, _the princess _of Aswan?! My luck just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?'_

It was in that moment that I also realized something else as I was staring into Bella's shocked appearance.

I would do anything to make her believe me. I felt.. no, _needed_ her to believe me. But I had a gut feeling it was going to be harder than it sounded.

I also realized that everything just got about a million times harder that I was going to have to do than I originally presumed.

'_That's just my luck...'_

* * *

**_A:N: _**_I'm sorry I left it at a cliffy. But it was there, so I took it. It's just so much fun! Hope you can forgive me! Can you guess who Baby Face is? It was a lot of fun writing this chapter._

_Let me know if you liked it with flowers. Flowers are reviews to me, 'cause some smell good, but some don't. So give me lots, please! I would like this story to smell good. _;)~

_I have decided that I'm going to update about every two weeks, if not sooner than that. Give or take a few days._

_I'm gonna stop babbling now, so you can maybe give me some flowers. I don't care if they smell bad either. I love all of them! _:P

_~Cynthia~_


	10. Attacks and Stress

**A/N: **_Hey! I wasn't sure how exactly the selecting of the guys would work, so I decided to do it like the TV show, _Next, _but made a few changes to it, and dragged it out further._

_Hope you like.__ Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Twilight or can have any credit dealing with it, or _Next_, the TV show. :)~ But Andrew and Alex are all mine. Read on to find out what I mean!

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 10

EPOV

~_Flashback~_

_"Men. This is Princess Bella, and Jasper. As I previously mentioned, Jasper and I are her bodyguards. You will not go anywhere without either one of us by your side. Understood?"_

_What Emmett had said had finally struck a cord in my brain and I turned my focus back on him. Albeit, it was hard, but not impossible to accomplish._

_..._

_I had learned some of the names of the guys standing next to me. I could see of in the distance Baby Face walking next Bella, talking. Apparently, his real name was Mike; but I'll just stick to Baby Face for now. It better suits him._

_The guy on my right was named Alex. He had dark hair, and even darker eyes, which were really creepy; on my left, there was Tyler, who had light brown hair with blue eyes; nice looking, all and all. Right beside him was a guy with dark, soft, shiny hair, and eyes the same completion, was Andrew. Who used to be next to Andrew, was Baby Face, but he went of to speak to Bella; to have his turn._

_All of us started to get to talking after Emmett announced we would take turns talking to Princess Bella -I still couldn't get used to the princess part- each day, and after about a month of this, she would decide which ones to get rid of. Every week, she would decide one who left our ranks, and when it got down to the last three of us, her father would decide which one she was to marry. Apparently I was still supposed to be in this...competition...still, for Caius and Marcus's plan to take place. Speaking of the plan, I was supposed to meet the kitchen dude, who in turn was going to help me win over the princess and give me more information about everybody. Not that he would have to give me much on everybody here, that I didn't surmise while talking to said people at the moment._

_What I did get out of them was that they were princes of nearby major cities, ports, or famous tourists spots; all their parents or parent, hoping to unite their kingdom with Aswan's, by marriage of their children. Basically, parents who are power hungry, looking for more region to reign for their children and themselves by default, to leave their name in history. Altogether, it was the rich, being the rich._

_While Baby Face was talking to Bella, I got to know a little of what each guys attitude was like. Alex, I guess you could say, matched his appearance perfectly; creepy was written all over him, and he seemed a bit hesitant too, like he was trying to keep a secret. Andrew, also true to his appearance, was very friendly and playful. But the thing was, he didn't know when to stop being playful; it was all very childish of him. The other guy, on my left, Tyler I think his name was, well...cocky, egotistical, and just plain rude. And Baby Face, while the short interaction I had with him earlier still fresh in my mind, from what I've learned, was also cocky, and had quite the temper that I was just _dying_ to mess with, and could barely finish a sentence with him around._

_All in all, the group I came in with, was very hazardous._

_'_This is going to be a long day...'_ I sighed realizing how true that statement was._

_"So, Edward," Tyler started, sticking his nose up at me, "You haven't told us much about yourself."_

_I nodded my head in agreement, but didn't give anymore on the matter._

_"Are you going to tell us anything?" He prompted again, when he saw that I wasn't going to say anything else. "Or d-"_

_"Or do we have to torture it out out of you?" Andrew continued for him. Although I'm sure Tyler wasn't going to say that; he wasn't as childish as Andrew was._

_I let out a snort. "I'm not sure you could touch me if you tried, Andrew." I shot him a warning look when I saw that spark of playfulness in his eyes. You would think we knew each others darkest secrets and that we're best pals by the way he was acting. "And don't get any ideas." But his grin only got bigger, and he stooped down in a crouching position, arms reaching out in front of his body, like he was going to pounce on his prey at any second. I had a very accurate feeling that I was that "prey" in this situation; not that it would take much to turn it around on him if he decided to take on the analogy, and pounce on me._

_He took a step forward, springing forward on the balls of his feet, toward me. He put his arms out, fists open, ready to grab whatever he could. He would have knocked me off my feet, he had a good form and launch, but if _experienced guards_ couldn't catch me in an alleyway the other day, then ultimately this _inexperienced boy_ definitely couldn't even touch me, if I so wished him not to._

_But I didn't do that. Instead, I let him think he was going to get me, but at the last second, grabbed his fists in mid-air and twisted out of the way simultaneously. Also, since I didn't want to look like I was overly experienced in doing this stuff, I made things look sloppy, like I wasn't sure, but sure at the same time, of my moves. Since I didn't want his face to get smashed in with the hard dirt ground, I twisted his wrists and pulled them towards me, while letting go a second later so I wouldn't fall with him. I did play-stumble a step forward, so it looked like I lost my balance some, but in reality, I could have done it without stumbling; especially since he was so small and didn't weigh that much, it was easier to manipulate his body the way I wanted it to go and fall in. It was all a show, my sloppiness with my actions._

_He went flying a few feet away from the group of us, and rolled on his side. He bounced up a bit while rolling, and I'm sure there was going to be bruising later. His arms were in front of his face, protecting it from the harsh dust coming up and attacking his face. Well that was good, at least, for his face. Not so much for his sides, though._

_All the while through Andrew's attack, the others around me were looking at me with their mouths agape and large eyes._

_"Holy crap, Edward! Where did you learn that?! That was AWESOME!" Tyler practically shouted of my ear, even though he was four feet away from me. Since I stumbled forward a couple feet, he wasn't right next to me anymore, fortunately, there was quite a distance between me and his yelling gig. I think I might not have lost my hearing, after all._

_"Dude," I said rubbing the ear that was closest to him, "Don't yell when I'm right next to you. I could have heard you just fine without it." I stopped rubbing my ear and looked at him, sending a glare his way. _

_"I'm sorry, Dude. But... Where did you learn how to do that? It was totally wicked," He apologized, looking at me with wide, awe-filled eyes._

_"I learned that from my..." My what? I hadn't really got to thing about that part. "My bodyguards. They thought it would be a good idea to learn self-defense if ever I was in need to use it. And I guess they were right." _

_"Can you teach me how to do that?"_

_I shrugged, not giving a definite answer._

_"Are you okay, Andrew?" I didn't really want to cause a lot of harm, so I went for the easy way out: dodging him. But even a simple move as easy as dodging someone, as not to get hurt yourself and them by association, can go wrong sometimes. Thankfully, Andrew sat up, shaking his head as if to clear it, and started the process of standing up. When he was on his feet, he dusted himself off, and stretched his spine. He winced a little when he started rubbing his side where he originally landed on._

_He turned toward me, and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "I think I agree with Tyler here. That was totally wicked..." His eyes got really big and far away, glazed over if you will, and mouth slightly open. He looked like he was daydreaming._

_I sighed. "I would apologize, but I did warn you not to try." I put my hand hand on his shoulder, with a loud pat. He stumbled a step forward, and that seamed to bring him out of his daydream._

_"What?" He looked up at me, with a confused expression. "What did you say?"_

_"Nothing," I sighed, letting my hand slide off his shoulder and took a step backward, distancing ourselves._

_At that very moment, Jasper came over and said, "What happened here? Is anyone hurt? Prince Andrew? Prince Edward?"_

_I looked at him, and shook my head slightly. "No. No one was hurt. Andrew was just being overly playful." It took me a second to realize that he had called me _Prince _Edward. And I didn't like it. Not one bit. "Please, Jasper. Call me Edward." He gave me one short nod in acknowledgement, letting me know he heard me. Jasper returned his attention back to Andrew, who was watching our interaction._

_"Okay." Andrew continued, "I'm fine."_

_"Oh. And feel free to call me Andrew."_

_"Same," Tyler and Alex said, one after the other._

_'_This is going to be a long, long day.'

~_End of Flashback~_

*~~~...~~~*

"Seth, what am I going to do?" I groaned out, flopping down backwards on the bed I was to sleep on for the duration of my stay at the palace. Not to long after everybody started copying me, a staff member came out and showed us to each of our rooms. Shortly after the door closed, another swung open: Seth's cage one. He sprung out of the box like it was on fire. It was sort of amusing to watch, but it did nothing to better my mood.

I blew out a breath of frustration and annoyance.

Everyone here was frustrating and annoying.

Even more so those other princes. _Especially_ Mike. He was always the most annoying and frustrating of them all. And I heard the rest of the princes were coming in tomorrow afternoon. I overheard the staff talking about it.

The staff was all right. They didn't get to much on my nerves.

It was like all those guys wanted to d after they saw me dodge Andrew was be like me. It was flattering and all, but got on my nerves still the same. I mean, why can't they be their own person? Why do they _have _to be like me? It was as annoying as heck.

As per usual, Seth didn't answer me. Just swung there, on his tail, without a care in the world. That must be nice. Not to have a care in the world. II really missed those days when I was young kid, without a care in the world. If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have grown up, if I had a say in it. Just stayed as I was then; so young, so naive. Head full of imagination, endless possibilities; the sky was the limit, people would say.

I shook my head to clear my wistful imagination. Apparently I still had one. I shook my head and groaned. ;_What have I gotten myself into?'_ I stood up and went over to the table near the middle of the room and poured myself a glass of water. Incredible. Even the water tasted expensive. Not that I would know what expensive water taste like. Well, I guess I knew now.

I sighed, walking back over to the bed and plopped down. I knew I was officially going crazy now. My mind was rambling and taking on a wistful tone. Was it possible to die of stress? I was starting to think yes, yes you could.

I went to the middle of the bed and sat with my legs folded, straight back, and let out a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Measuring each breath carefully; I did the same over and over, till I felt myself relax some; however just minimally so.

_"Never carry too much stress, Edward. That gives cause to mistakes; and mistakes are never good in this line of business."_

I felt my legs fly out from under my sitting form on the bed, rolling over and tumbling to the ground, landing on my back spread eagle.

I remember that voice. It's been a long time since I heard it, but I still remember him saying it to me as clear as day. It was Uncle Anthony.

I was panting from the suddenness of the memory. I wasn't expecting it at all.

It was the time after John and Noah went missing. I was passing a whole in the floor, crazy with stress. Then all of a sudden he said that and I nearly jumped out of my skin then. Seems it has the same affect after all these years. I could clearly see what he meant. I was too stressed to notice him walk up behind me. So the next day I came up with this position, to help alleviate the stress. And it helped, a lot.

A sudden knock on the door got to me to my feet in seconds and called the person. They walked through the door and smiled at me. It was the girl who met us all at the front doors. Angela, I think her name was.

I looked at her with an expectant look and she said made me want to do the pose all over again. "Princess Bella is ready to see you. It's your turn, Prince Edward."

"Edward," I corrected automatically. "Call me Edward."

She smiled at me and ushered me to follow her, so I did. Alibi very stressed.

* * *

**_A/N: _Hope you don't hate me. I seem to keep putting off the interaction between the two. Always leaving it on a cliffy. I'll try not to next chapter, but can't make any promises! So... How was it? I'd love to hear what you think. Leave me flowers, please!**

**~Cynthia~**


	11. Part 1 Annoyance

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Twilight. *sigh* If only I did. The possibilities.**

**A/N: I'm still alive, don't worry. Hope you don't hate me. It was really troubling curving the story to how I wanted it to go; it was fighting every step of the way. But I got it! Rest assure. Read on and enjoy. I'll be waiting to see how you liked it. :)**

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 11 Part 1

BPOV

There are times in my life when everything around me has been very calm, easy going. Like with Edward, in the meadow. There have been other times when everything just fit, like it was meant to be. There have also been times where I've been heartbroken, sad, angry, and just plain pissed off. Now this time, right now- I want to gouge my eyes and ears out.

That's how much this _Mike Newton_ was annoying me.

I could barely get one word in edge wise. All I've been able to say were things like "Yeah," "Cool," and "Oh, yeah." And even a "Wow." I was just about ready to beg him to shut up, at least have some time where it was all quiet, peaceful. No one, not even _Mike Newton,_ was talking. '_Ugh, pure agony… If he keeps this up I might just go crazy.'_

Right now, we were talking about how he was sent here by his parents.

"Yeah," Mike continued. "I didn't realize how much I would like it here, until I actually got here. It's really a beautiful palace, actually. Anyways, my parents," he let out a nervous laugh. "They thought it would be a great learning experience for me." '_I wonder what his parents designed for him to learn...' "_Yeah, I don't know exactly what the learning experience was supposed to be-" '_Dang.' _"-They just said it would be nice, so they sent me out the door, with my bags, and the carriage waiting outside. I was pretty surprised actually. Yeah, I bet their missing me. They probably are. I wish they could of come. This place is awesome. Then maybe they wouldn't be missing me so much."

If they were anything like their son, I would kick all of them out without a second thought. Hmm... Maybe they sent him here with the thoughts of quiet for a few weeks...

While I was walking beside him, musing about how nice it would be to have quiet, I didn't notice that Mike had stopped, and looking at me expectantly, like he was waiting for me to answer.

"Hmmm..." Was what I answered with while bobbing my head up and down, hoping it fit the answer of the question; I guess it was because he started rambling again. I stifled a moan that just about came out. Please, please someone shut him up.

I turned my head to see what all the other princes were, watching their interactions. All of a sudden one of the guys facing Edward got down in a crouch like he was going to launch himself at him. Everything after that happened so fast I could barely keep up. I guess the guy did launch himself at Edward, because he was on the floor a second later, sprawled behind where Edward was a second ago. I guess he stepped out of the way a second just before the other guy collided with him. I knew he had good reflexes from the other night, but someone had to be really fast to dodge an attack that was that close to them. They were not more than at least five feet away from each other.

There was something with this Edward that I intended to find out.

"Cool." I replied when I notice Mike stop again. I was too busy to give him much more than that- not that he would have allowed me to say much more than that- trying to figure out what was going on. He went on with talking.

After Jasper handled the situation, he came over to tell Emmett about it, who was standing just a few feet behind me and Mike walking through the gardens. They were discussing the situation in hushed whispers that I couldn't make out much from. I excused myself from Mike when he was in the middle of a sentence and went back to where Emmett and Jasper were conversing very secret like. They must have heard me coming because Emmett stopped mid-sentence, saying louder to me, "Bella! Hey, aren't you supposed to be talking to Prince Mike right now?" He looked behind my shoulder to see Mike. I turned my head to see him watching us curiously.

I turned back to Emmett and said, "Don't play games right now. Tell me what happened over there with Edward and the other guy. Why did the prince try to attack Edward?" I wasn't trying to say it too loud. I started saying it in a whisper, but I guess my voice was getting louder and louder at the end; their eyes matching my voice, getting wider and wider with each word.

"Bella," Jasper began.

'_No.' _I knew that tone. He was going to persuade me out of it. He used to use this tone with me all the time when I was younger and he didn't want me to know something, or was trying to redirect me. It was _not_ going to this time. It was his tone that he heavily applied his Southern accent to.

"Oh no, Jasper," I started. "You are going to tell me what happened over there and are _not_ going to leave anything out. You're going to tell me right this second, now."

Jasper's lips thinned and he narrowed his eyes at me. "What if I refuse to tell you?" Oh. He was trying to be a stubborn one, was he? Well, two could play that game.

And I could always throw a temper tantrum, and would only stop unless he told me. I'd like to say I was below it when I think this, but truth is, I probably wouldn't throw one, even if he didn't tell me. And I have a strong feeling on who would win this little show-off of ours; me.

And right I was.

A couple minutes later of arguing and changing tactics a couple times -and I think I heard Emmett mutter, "Oh, not again."- I won. I was using my last almost-fail-proof tactic, the puppy dig eyes, tears coming to the eyes- thanks to making my metal bracelet dig into my wrist (holy _crap_ did that hurt, never doing it again, no matter how much it seems as a good idea at the moment) - and the quivering bottom lip to complete the sad puppy look; he finally gave in; on one condition though.

He was holding up one finger to indicate the one condition, "You stop using those puppy dog eyes? They kill the crap out of my resistance level, making me into more of a softy. Don't even try it, Emmett," Jasper added when he saw Emmett attempt to copy my well practiced puppy dog eyes look. I snickered a bit at that and wiped some of the tears that fell over the brim. I guess I still had some left when I did the puppy dog eyes. "Bella," Jasper said softly, "Are you crying?"

Oops-y, I guess he noticed the tears I wiped away. And since I wasn't laughing hard enough to bring on tears, I guess he thought I was crying because of something else. '_Like what?'_ I thought sarcastically. Okay, not the time for sarcasm. "I…" I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't find words to explain. I could show him better than I could ever explain it. Perhaps I would get out of telling him exactly _how_ I got it; I would sound like an insane person for trying to explain it, and I didn't necessarily want that right now. I held up my wrist with the cut on it, the dully sharp edge of the bracelet hanging lazily off my upper wrist, a couple inches away from the cut. It took him about two seconds for his eyes to zone on in the culprit of incident. Although I was the culprit who did the crime, Jasper had his eyes narrowed at the bracelet that was innocently dangling from my wrist.

"Did your bracelet cut into your wrist, Bella?" Jasper asked his voice tight, "On its own?" Oh crap.

My eyes went wide with the accusation, trying my best to pull of the "innocently shocked offended" look. I don't think I quite got it. "No..." Even I could hear the lie in my voice when I spoke, my voice squeaking some at the end. I cleared my throat and tried to say it again, but Jasper cut me off when I opened my mouth again.

"Don't even try it, Bella. I know you're lying. Just...don't." Jasper held up his hands, shaking them slightly, along with his head. I sighed hanging my head, doing what he said, knowing it was right. "Bella," Jasper started, "Why..." He trailed off, apparently not knowing where to direct the question. He shook his head, clearing it apparently, and went on. "Why would you do this?" He asked holding up my wrist, flicking the bracelet some. The bracelet slid down my arm, the ringing of it still high-pitched, echoing in the wind still; the bracelet stopped half-way up my lower arm, as far as it could slide with the width of it all.

I took my time answering, not quite sure how to explain. How do I explain it without sounding like a crazy, completely wacky, insane child in need of some help? Okay. Maybe I was exaggerating it some... It's not as bad as I made it out to sound. I just really wanted to know what happened over there. "Um... I, uh..." I cleared my throat -buying some more time- and went on, "wanted to know, um, what happened with the other princes in the garden over there." I used my other hand not preoccupied being held by Jasper's larger one, to point over to where the other princes were just a moment ago. Apparently they had been lead away somewhere; probably to their rooms.

As I slowly said each word, you could feel the tension rising between the two of us. I could feel the tension slowly dissipating in the air between us.

"What am I going to do with you, Bella?" Jasper rhetorically asked. I figured I should rhetorically answer it.

"You don't have to do anything to me. But maybe you could... Give me a cookie?" I looked down, keeping my chin tucked slightly into my chest, but looked up, a second later after saying it, through my lashes, my eyes big, and the best innocent look I could muster at this point. Jasper chuckled some, shaking his head.

"Maybe later; right now you have to get back to your prince," He said, nodding his head in the direction of Mike a few feet away from us, toeing the dirt, apparently waiting for me to return. I groaned in turn, my head coming up to examine him. He probably thought my manners were very rude, but eh, I could care less of what he thought of me; though I probably didn't want them to be too bad. Jasper, who was still holding my cut wrist, brought back attention to it after chuckling at my aversion to Mike. "I'll help you clean it off when you're done with him. But for now," he started, going to take off my bracelet, "Keep your bracelet on the other wrist. You don't want it accidently hurting the cut more." He finished grabbing my other wrist that was hanging loosely by my side a second before, and clasped it onto that wrist.

"Wait."

Jasper sighed, looking at me closely. "What now?"

"You still have to tell me what happened over there," I said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I pointed over to where Edward and the other guys were standing just a second ago.

"Later," He said, but it sounded more like a question than anything. I sighed too, knowing that I'll have to work it out of Edward or the other person who attacked him later, because Jasper was not going to tell me. "Now go," Jasper insisted, nudging gently toward Mike. I was hesitant to go over to him, not wanting to hear any more of what he had to say. It was going to give my head ache if it kept going on like this. I made sure to get a promise out of him before I left though.

"Promise me that you'll come and get me soon." I tried to stare him down into giving in. I'm pretty sure it came out as a half desperate plea.

"Why? Don't ya like little Mike-y? He's kind-a cute if look at him at a certain angle." Jasper's voice had taken on his southern accent, his head twisted to look at Mike, with squinted eyes.

I glanced over at him also, only seeing a guy with chubby cheeks -probably still having his baby fat on them- and freckles speckled over them here and there. "He looks like a little kid, more than a grown man," I hissed at Jasper, adding, "and he talks entirely too much of himself for it to be called normal. I can't even get a word in! It's not _natural._"

Jasper let out an earnest laugh, promising, "Just for that, I'll come get you in a little." He started backing up, preparing to depart, but I grabbed onto his muscled arm that couldn't quite fit fully into my both my hands wrapped around it, and tried to tug him back over to me. I wanted a certain amount of time.

"Wait, how much longer?"

I didn't get an answer. I didn't even get a look.

What Jasper did do was say, "Emmett," and pointed his head in my direction, his eyes on Emmett the whole time. His expressions saying _a little help, here?, _and showing amusement in every feature of his handsome face.

Emmett came over and easily pried my hands of Jasper's forearm easily since a I never could quite get a firm grip with it being so big in the first place. It didn't look big at first glance, but when you're up close like I am, it's huge. Especially to someone as small as me; mine was scrawny in comparison.

"Jasper!" I half whisper-shouted at him to get his attention.

"_What?"_ He tried to sound annoyed, but it didn't come out quite right. The situation was too dang funny to him at the moment.

I let out a little laugh, despite the way I was feeling toward him earlier.

"When are you going to come and... you know?" I had started to walk backwards, since I had wiggled out of Emmett's hold on me earlier. I had to start to get vague because I was getting close to where Mike was still standing, toeing the dirt.

He held up both his hands, fingers stretching further from each other, signing ten minutes. He turned away gracefully and kept walking, for he had started to walk backwards also, same as me. I tried to do the same fluid motion he'd shown, but failed, only to have my shoe get caught on the rocks in the path.

I tensed my body, anticipating the impact the fall was sure to have. Instead, soft hands caught and steadied me. I had a brief sense of déjà vu, and shook my head to clear that thought. There was no way Edward could of been the one to catch me this time. Yet...when I turned around, why did I feel disappointment upon seeing Mike as the catcher?

"Thanks," I mumbled, my cheeks reddening of their own accord, and added, "Sorry I sort of ditched you earlier. It was just really important, and I would have forgotten it if I hadn't of asked just now." I know it was a lame excuse, but it was the only one I could come up with at the moment. And I really didn't want him too think I was a complete jerk.

"That's okay," Mike replied in kind, "I totally understand." Although, I had a feeling that wasn't the case.

There was still some awkwardness in the air due to our exchange, so I did the only thing I could think of: I got him to talk. "So what were we talking about?" And he was off...

He didn't seem to notice the slight awkwardness in the air still. Although I could feel it full force.

*~~~...~~~*

True to Jasper's word, he came and made up some excuse about how I had to go meet up with dad about some formal thing coming up. Apparently there was a ball that had to occur in a couple of weeks and had a lot of planning that had to be put into it. I was going to make sure to ask Esme about it later, seeing as it was "her palace", as she liked to referred to it as, and did most of the planning for things like these events. He also helped clean up my wrist.

"Bella," Emmett called to me, "You have to get ready to meet the next prince. Or are you ready now?"

I looked up at him from my perch in my chair, lowering my book to look at him. His words registered a second later, and I placed my bookmark in my place where I was with a sigh, and stood up. "Let's go now. The sooner I go, the sooner I can get it over with. Can't avoid the unavoidable, right?"

Jacob rose when I did, and started weaving in and out of tables and chairs around me. He had gotten picked up after my time with Mike when I saw the note I left myself on the mirror to the previous night before, to remind me to pick him up.

I shook my head at him, silently telling him to stay. As much as I wish I could take him with me, he couldn't come; if only to scare off the other guys I still had to meet. He sat back down with a 'thump' from his large mass of body weight making contact with the floor abruptly.

"Let's go," I told Emmett, walking toward him.

Emmett led me down some corridors and to the large lounging area near the middle of the palace.

My cheeks were bright red by the time we got there, all because of Emmett's teasing me about Mike and my attraction to him. Or so he "thinks", was the word used by him.

"Emmett," I groaned, hiding my face in my hands, "Stop, _please._ You already know I don't like him, so stop it. I'm about ready to beg you."

I heard a gasp that made me look up to see an evil gleam in his eyes. "Will you beg me? Get down on your knees, and everything? I would love to see that. The desperation on your face; begging for me to stop teasing you and the people you like..." He trailed off, getting lost in his imagination. I know he didn't mean for it to sound rude, so I didn't take it like that; he had only meant it as a joke.

This time I just ignored him and turned around facing the doors. I might have stomped my foot a little, letting out a huff of air. It seems childish to some people, but it really actually helped to bring down my temper, mellowing me.

I heard a loud laughter behind me, signaling me that Emmett didn't find my behavior rude at all, just funny. I cracked a smile of my own, my eyes narrowing at the door in concentration to not laugh. It worked all of 5 seconds, though, due to Emmett's hands clamping down on my side and started tickling me.

"Em-Emme-Emmett," I wheezed, trying to regain the air back in my deflating lungs from laughing so hard. "St-stop it-t!" I managed, finally.

Emmett stopped abruptly when we heard the doors open, Angela coming in with someone following behind her. I could barely make out Angela as it was, so I couldn't make out the figure behind her.

Emmett straightened out and stiffened his back, all traces of laughter forgotten in his stoic expression...looking at the person behind Angela. I straightened up too, wiping my eyes from the tears falling, and blinking a few times to clear my vision.

There, standing behind Angela, was none other than the boy who had been haunting me since I first looked into his eyes, this morning. My happy smile disappeared from my face immediately, my mood sobering.

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know. "Where's the meeting?!" right? Sorry. Here's my explanation:**

**I had to cut the chapter into three parts or it was going to be too long. So I'll post the next chapter in two days (Thursday) and part three, two days after that (Saturday).**

**So...at least you know the next two times I'm updating! Yeah!**

**But, I make no promises after that. I'll try to update at least once a month-school has started up again :( Homework is taking up most my time. I was actually writing this instead of doing it. :)**

**Leave me some flowers!**

**~Cynthia~**


	12. Part 2 Disgust

**Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to the creative mind of Stephanie Meyers. **

**A/N: Enjoy part 2! The fateful meeting!**

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 11 Part 2

BPOV

"Okay, okay," I laughed, "I think that's enough laughing on my expense. What about you, Edward, haven't you ever tripped? _Stumbled_, at the least?"

He shook his head to indicate that he hadn't.

The fluttering started up, trying to make-

He looked up at me through the long lashes framing his face, his hair falling around them, triggering a memory not long ago lived...

_~Flashback~_

_His eyes a bright, brilliant green, shone from under the dark colors of his hair falling around them and the lashes; the lighting in the room only making them sparkle at me more._

_"I..." Edward started. His eyes held a tint of sadness to them I hadn't seen before he spoke, and something else that looked a little like...guilt, maybe? Why would he be guilty?_

`_What _did he do?`_ I had so many others but that came to the forefront of my mind at the moment. '_Why is he even here? How?`

_That seemed to be the question at the moment he was trying to answer, just a little differently worded._

_"What are you doing here?" I fumed again, when he didn't finish. "How?"_

_He closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath. I also took the time to take a deep breath to try to calm my rage boiling just under my skin, ready to emerge at any moment. When he returned his eyes to mine, I saw that it looked like he had set himself in a decision. He started to talk._

_"Bella, I'm here for the same reason all the other princes are. To try to win a chance to be wed to you. I-"_

_"But why didn't you tell me before? When we _met in the forest last night?_!" I whisper-shouted the last part at him, because of Emmett's looming presence behind the closed door. I had asked him to step out in the corridor, reassuring him I would call him at a moment's notice, if need be._

_"For the same reason you didn't tell me you are a princess!" He shot back, getting angry in return for being cut off._

_"How?" I closed my eyes, breathing out the word to keep from spitting it at him._

_"What?" Edward asked. "'How' what?"_

_"How are you here?" I explained more thoroughly, a little louder._

_He paused for a moment, thinking over his answer. "I... My parents wanted me to get out more and... So they sent me here. I was getting of age, and they wanted me to get married. So they sent me here," He repeated again._

_I watched him warily for a few seconds, narrowing my eyes when he seemed to start to squirm under my gaze._

_How could I doubt what he said? I had no proof to contradict him on it..._

_"Okay…"_

_"Bella, please," Edward started to say, "You _have_ to belie -"_

_"I don't _have_ to believe anything you say! You lied to me!" I shouted, as much as I could, at him, getting angrier by the second._

_My outburst seemed to make something ignite in him. He exploded. "And you didn't? You did the same to me what I did to you! We're both at fault here; not just me! So stop putting the blame on me, Bella! Why should I believe anything you say, either?"_

_I shrank away from him, fear trickling into my expression I was sure. It wasn't so much how loud he said it –we were still yelling in harsh, hissing whispers, because of the audience we might have if we didn't- but the way he said it._

_It was filled with such hate and disgust, that I was starting to feel disgusted with myself. I mean... He was right. I did do the same thing. So…why was I yelling at him? I was just as much at fault, as he was._

_But… There was this flutter in my stomach, this…whispered voice saying, suggesting, no, _demanding,_ me to not to give in to this line of thought. That Edward was the one more at fault than I was in this scenario._

_Why? I had no idea. And my gut feelings were always the best way to go… But… Who was I to argue with the facts? The cold, hard facts?_

_Then the fluttering in my stomach starts again. More present this time, than last._

_There was only one thought in my head, one question: Which do I choose the facts, or the… instinct within me?_

_I was torn._

_Edward must have seen my fear visibly in my body language and on my face, because his face softened some, and the wall he seemed to put up came down for a second, allowing me to see through it. Regret. Sympathy. Anger. Pain. Panic. More anger. And then disgust. The disgust was becoming more present than the others._

_Was he disgusted with me? I knew I was. But what about the others? Regret I could start to imagine why he was feeling that; he regretted coming here._

_Sympathy? He was sorry to have to do this to me?_

_Anger? He was angry that I was putting him I this position. He probably hated me right now, and yet I couldn't fault him with it; I was starting to hate myself at this point._

_But then the instinct kicks in, and I get these flutters again. I started moving around to get in a more comfortable position, thinking that maybe it might be the awkward position I was sitting in on the couch. It didn't help; it probably made it more intense, if anything. I shook my head minuscule-y to get back on the line of thought I was previously on._

_Pain? I had just the smallest inkling of why he would feel that. Maybe he was in physical pain? Or was it emotional from all the fault I put on his conscious? Other than that, I had no clue as to why he would be in pain, physically or emotionally._

_Panic? I know I was, so why not him? I was being an immature, temperamental girl at this point. Who wouldn't panic at having to deal with that?_

_The more pronounced anger again? Maybe he hated me a little more because of the pain and panic I was putting him in._

_Disgust._

_That one hurt me the most out of all of them. I felt like it had hit me physically, taking my breath away, making in next to impossible to breath, to get a breath, air, in. My chest was heaving up and down with each breath. It was starting to get uncomfortable._

_I made myself calm down… taking a deep breath… exhaling slowly. Breathe in… Breathe out…_

_In… Out… In… Out…_

_I repeated it a few times more, and my chest started rising more slowly, more naturally, normally. The pain was still there, I was just trying to even my breathing out, trying to make it at least bearable in the least._

_I looked up at him, trying to keep my face neutral, void of all emotion._

_"I'm sorry," I started. I had made my decision: I was going to go with the facts. They were hard to argue with, as it was. What facts did I have to back up my invisible flutters? None._

_I was going to have to beg for forgiveness and hope he didn't hate me; even if the flutters told me to stop._

_~End Flashback~_

"It's true," Edward's voice brought me back from my memory. "I've never tripped." He was looking at me, his eyes being lit up from his laughing.

I couldn't help the smile that curved my own lips up. He looked so happy, young, at the moment, despite what had happened before.

_~Flashback~_

_I was pleading now, tears streaming down my face._

_"I didn't mean to put the blame on you. I wasn't thinking." I scrubbed at my eyes, the tears making it hard to see. "I-I...I..." I had to stop, the sobs coming from me making it hard to speak. My voice was just barely above a whisper, enough for Edward to hear and no one outside to listen in._

_In a flash, Edward was right next to me taking me in his arms, trying to shush me. "Shhh, it's okay. Everything's okay. You're okay."_

_I don't know why he was trying to comfort me. I didn't deserve his sympathy or comfort. I was the one who wronged him; he should hate my guts right now. Not give me a second look, walk out the door, never looking back, never returning._

_But, yet. Here he is, my head on his chest, tucked under his chin; arms around me, rocking us back and forth; in a soothing manner, like talking to a child, soothing me._

_This man was truly baffling._

_It would just be easier for me if he just walked away, saying how much of a low-life I am when doing so. But yet he did the opposite. He pulled me on his lap, trying to comfort me, when I deserved none of it._

_It brought a whole new wave of tears, my sobs being just barely contained._

_"I-I'm-m s-so so-o-rry-y," I tried stuttering in my half-coherent state of apologizing. "I d-did-dn't m-mean..." I clutched to his shirt, the aroma coming from it, calming me some. I saw my tears dripping down my chin onto his shirt, getting it wet. Somehow this small thing brought me back to who I was crying on and why I was crying._

_I gasped sitting up, careful not to hurt his chin, and scooted off him. "I'm sorry. I'm not thinking correctly right now. I got your shirt wet."_

_Edward let out a small, sad laugh. "I don't care about my shirt, Bella. It can dry."_

_I nodded my head, not knowing how to respond._

_A thought popped up in my head, a question._

_"Why are you being so nice to me?" I blurted out._

_"What?" Edward asked, his brow furrowing in confusion._

_"Why-y," I started, but my voice cracked. I took a deep breath, hoping that my voice won't crack anymore, "Why are you being so nice to me? I don't deserve it."_

_"Bella," Edward sighed. He looked defeated. "I didn't mean to..." He let out a heavy sigh. "I didn't mean for you to start crying."_

'So it's just pity.'_ I don't know why, but this thought made my inside clench and my eyes burn with unshed tears being held in, that would fall at a moment notice if allowed._

_I swallowed the lump in my throat, before I could start choking on it, and looked up to meet Edward's wary eyes._

_"I... I'm going to go to the bathroom and, um…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say to end it. I quickly got up and turned toward the semi-hidden door in the corner of the room. Before I could get very far, a hand on my wrist restrained me from getting very further than maybe a foot._

_I turned around to face Edward. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. His eyes spoke a million._

_My shoulders slumped from their tense position, and I nodded, understanding. I twisted my wrist, trying to get his iron grip off, but he didn't let go immediately. Instead, he looked at my face for a long second, searching for something. He must have found it, because a second later, he let go and slumped back against the couch._

_I don't know when he got there, last I saw him he was sitting in a loveseat across from the couch. I just walked over to the door in the corner without seeing where I was going, and shut it behind me with a soft 'tap' and 'click' at the closing._

_Silence filled the space after the door finished closing._

_With my back towards the door, I slumped down against it and slid down it; my butt hitting the floor, knees and thighs up against my stomach and chest, arms around my legs, hugging them to me, and my back to the door. I laid my head on my knees and started crying silently, my body shaking._

_I stayed like this for I don't know how long, but at one point I remembered why I came in here, and got up._

_I looked at myself in the mirror; I turned on the water and started scrubbing furiously at my eyes and cheeks to get the tears stains to disappear. When I looked at myself again, my cheeks looked bright pink. Thankfully, the bags under my eyes weren't so puffy and red so I would be able to face Emmett later._

_I truly looked at myself next. I looked like myself; long brown hair, brown doe eyes, heart-shaped face, and full pink lips. I looked so broken, so lost with my bright brown eyes, with red tinting the whites of them, and the bags under them a tad bigger than usual. I looked tired, in need of some deep, long sleep._

_I made up my mind about Edward right there._

_I was going to try to at least become his friend, start over on a new slate, so to say. If Edward didn't want to be my friend, then fine. I would at least try to be civil to him. Maybe he would forgive me for what I accused of him, and that I yelled at him for it..._

_Anyways, I knew it was time for me to stop hiding._

_I slowly opened the door, as if to prolong the time before I had to face him, and stepped out._

_Edward was still in the same position, but a little more relaxed._

_"Edward," I said in a quiet voice, as if not to startle a scared little child._

_He looked up at me warily, probably thinking that I'll burst into tears at any second. I couldn't blame him at this point._

_I cleared my throat to start. "I've come to a decision."_

_He nodded once, very slowly, his eyes still searching my face._

_"I think, maybe, if you want, we could, you know," I kept trying to say it, but it couldn't come out. "Maybe..."_

_"Just spit it out, Bella."_

_If I noticed the annoyance in his voice, I didn't take notice as I did what he said._

_"Maybe we could start over and become friends!" I blurted out._

_I held my breath, waiting for his answer, rejection. It didn't come._

_What did come was, "I'd like that... Yeah, friends. I would like that a lot."_

_~End Flashback~_

* * *

**A/N: How did you like it? Was it everything you imagine it would live up to be? I had to keep typing and retyping just to get it right. I think it ended wonderfully. **

**Who wants to kill Edward right about now? Trying to put all the blame on Bella...**

**Another cliffy, I know, but you got the meeting, wonder what happens next? Wait and find out on Saturday! In the meanwhile, you could click the little button bellow that says "Review", and leave me some flowers!**

**~Cynthia~**


	13. Part 3 Hide and Seek

**Disclaimer: I don't and will never own any right to Twilight. All I own is this story and a cat. The cat keeps me company while I morn over me not owning Twilight. ****L**

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews; they were awesome, per usual. Let's see what happens after where we last left off shall we? Now pay close attention to this chapter; some of the content is important. Enjoy!**

**Chapter title from the song _Hide and Seek_ by _Imogen Heap_. **

* * *

Troubled Love

Chapter 11 Part 2

BPOV

"Oh, come on." I don't remember how we got on this topic of tripping, but I'm glad we had. "Not even_ once_?"

"I don't know, I might have once, when I was a baby or something. But other than that..." He shook his head, with an amused smile on his face.

"Okay, fine," I huffed. "What about..."

A knock on the door stopped the question from finish forming in my head and saying it out loud.

Emmett poked his head in, saying, "Bella, it's time for dinner. Are you...done here?"

"Um," I glanced over at Edward, not wanting our time to be up.

After he had agreed to be friends, we started from scratch, literally. He introduced himself, like if we were to meet like we were supposed to, have I not snuck out last night. I had let out a laugh, already feeling the effects he had on me working. We were laughing together like we were old friends in no time. It just kind of escalated from there. We were laughing, teasing, making jokes...

I still got the flutters in my stomach every now and then, but I mainly just ignored them. I would worry about them later.

A clearing of a throat brought me out of my memories, and I looked over to where Emmett was still standing, watching me watch Edward. I, in turn, cleared my throat and stood, feeling awkward and my cheeks heat up with what I was caught doing.

I turned toward Emmett, "Sure. Um..." I looked over to where Edward was still sitting on the couch, then back at Emmett with a questioning look, silently asking what was going to happen to him.

"Jasper's coming," then a little louder for Edward to here, "Jasper will be here in a minute to come get you, Prince Edward."

"Edward," Edward said, looking awkward. "You can call me Edward, Emmett."

"Okay."

"Um." I didn't know what quite to say to defuse the tension in the room. It was slowly rising, each second getting more uncomfortable than the next. "Shall we go now, Emmett? Mustn't keep my father waiting."

"Right..."

I walked over to where Emmett was standing in the doorway, switching from foot to foot, and walked past him, calling over my shoulder, "See you later, Edward." I heard a weak reply, and then shuffling feet following behind me.

"So, Bella" Emmett started a minute later "How do you like Edward so far? You guys looked like you were getting cozy there for a minute."

"Emmett," I sighed. "We were sitting on opposite chairs. We weren't getting cozy at all."

Emmett sighed and left it alone, seeing as how I didn't want to talk at the moment or want to be teased, either.

*~~~...~~~*

"So, Bella," Charlie said. "How did you like some of the princes you've met so far?"

"I've only met two of them," I heard myself saying. "Mike was fine, but he talked too much. Edward was nice-"

"Emmett said you were getting a little cozy with him, if what I heard was correct."

My head snapped up and towards Charlie, which was down and forking a piece of broccoli on his plate. I eyed him for a moment, and then narrowed them further when he started to squirm. "No. We were sitting on opposite chairs. There was no possible way for us to get cozy. Plus, why would I get cozy so fast with someone I hardly know?"

He didn't answer. Instead he speared his broccoli and put it in his mouth, slowly. "Tell me about Mike?" He said after a minute of chewing more than probably necessary.

I sighed, heavily. This was going to be a long dinner.

*~~~...~~~*

"So, Bella," Esme began later that night. I sighed. I know exactly what this was going to be about.

"Esme," I groaned. "Not you too."

"Oh," Esme said, throwing a pillow my way. "I'm probably the only one who matters who needs to know."

We were in my room, sitting on my bed. She said she needed to talk to me about something important before I went to bed. When we sat down on my bed, she didn't say anything for a while. And now that she started, I wished she would stop. I've been over this with too many people to go over it again. Even if that person was Esme.

"Please?"

I couldn't deny that voice.

So I started from the beginning. Meeting Edward in the forest, the garden meeting, Mike, the conversation with Edward afterwards, the talk with Charlie... Everything.

By the time I was done, Esme was sitting very still on the edge of my bed, head bent down, with a contemplative look on it.

"Esme?" I asked in a quiet voice, so as not to startle her. She looked up at me with a small frown on her face. "What are you thinking?" I was starting to get nervous from her quietness, and I guess Esme must have seen this.

"Oh...give some more time to think? I'm still thinking through some things. I'll get back to you later, though..." I nodded my head before she was finished. I trusted her to get back to me; Esme always kept her promise.

"Was that all or did you have something else you wanted to talk about?"

"Oh, yes. A couple, actually."

I nodded my head again, showing her to continue.

"Okay. Well," Esme started. "You know about the new girls coming in to try out for the new maid opening, right?"

"Yeah, her name was …Allison, right? Wait, no..." I tried to recall the conversation we had just this morning, but it seemed like so long ago.

"Alice." Esme supplied. "Alice Brandon."

"Oh, yeah; now I remember. Continue, please."

"Well, she's coming in with a few other girls for the spots. But she stood out the most-you should have seen her résumé. And I wanted to know if you wanted to help me pick the girls. We have two openings." She informed me.

"Okay," I said, slowly processing this information for some reason. "What day, again?"

Esme smiled at me apologetically; easily catching on to how slow I was processing things right now. "It's Tomorrow. If you're too stressed out with meeting all the princes tomorrow, then you don't have to. Or you just don't want to do it then it'll be fine with only me and Angela."

"No, no, it's fine," I quickly reassured her. "I actually want to do it. Is Angela still going to be there, even with me doing it?" I liked Angela. I can go to Angela for anything; boys -if ever there was a reason to have guys in the palace- homework, and honesty, although she helps and tells me things in the nicest way possible, because I'm still her superior.

"She would still be there. I love having her there; she's a great judge of character." Esme finished her sentence with a wave of her hand as if it was fabulous she was talking about. I also agreed with her, of course.

Last time we didn't listen to her when it came to people, everything in the palace was a mess for a while, and it was basically as if everything was on its head. Let's just say that person didn't work for very longer here…

"Oh. Jessica is also going to be there also," Esme added.

"Jessica's going to be there?" I liked Jessica; she was so down to Earth, and didn't take second best. Jessica generally liked everyone, but if you did her or someone close to her wrong... You didn't want to be on the bad side of that encounter. She was a fun person to be around, overall.

"Yes; she's so well at seeing through the lies people say; it's like her specialty. And she calls people on it, which is even better. There can be no secrets when a person is working here; everything would end in disaster. And poor Angela is too nice to call people on it—even if she noticed it in the first place."

I nodded, agreeing with that. "Okay, what time tomorrow?"

"Around one. Maybe after lunch," Esme said. "It all depends on what time the girls get here. But definitely around noon."

"Okay," I nodded again, slowly taking in the new information. "And how long will it last?"

"Hmmm… I actually don't know. But you could leave any time you wanted too. You don't really need to be there, but it would be nice to see if you had any personal favorites out of the girls."

"Yeah, I'll definitely be there. Where are you interviewing the girls?"

"In the lounge room… You know, it's where you were talking with that one prince for so long…? What was his name again?" She asked in a false-innocent, flippant voice. "Edmund?"

I sighed dramatically, "Aw yes; the dear Edmund. So sweet, so right… You know?"

Esme scowled at me disapprovingly. "Bella…" She warned.

"What?" I asked; all traces of the joke gone from my face. "_You were _the one to start it." I said pointing at her accusingly.

"Well," She stuck her chin in the air, straightening her back to sit up more erect. "I was sort of hoping… that maybe… I don't know…"

"Esme…"

"That maybe Edward could be the one to dance with you most of the night at the ball," Esme said all in one lungful of air. She let out a breath, saying, "Well?"

I sat there, my mouth open, probably looking like a fish out of water, not knowing what or how to respond to that. "Why?" I finally managed.

Esme sighed. "Well, because he was the only guy that didn't get on your nerves today."

"Esme! He made me cry, _cry,_ Esme. _Cry_. And you want him to dance with me most of the night at the ball?" Then something suddenly struck me as odd. "Wait. What ball? Which night? There's _dancing_? And you want _me_ to _dance_ with _Edward_ for most of it?-"

"I know what you're going to say next, Bella; "Are you out of your mind, Esme?"" Esme tried to mimic my vice, not quite getting it. "But, Bella, he was the _only_ one you could actually have a civil conversation with! And you actually had a good time with him too!"

"Fine," I shook my head, brows creased in confusion, "Let's just forget that for right now. What this about a ball? Dancing, is it mandatory?"

"Bella," Esme said with a laugh. "Of _course_ it's mandatory. And the ball is in a month. So you have plenty of time to work on your balance some more." She waved her hand dismissing it.

"Esme, you and I both know the last time I tried to work on my balance problem it didn't end well."

"Well, I was hoping, now that since you're older, you wouldn't have such a hard time with it as last."

"We both know that's futile."

"You are going to-"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Yes."

"_No_, Esme. I don't want to end up braking wrist and twisting my ankle again." I shivered at the end, remembering the last time I went to improve my balance.

"Fine," Esme conceited, her tense posture relaxing some. "But you'll have to at least _try_ to not fall so much anymore."

"You think I _want _to fall as much as I do?"

"No, no I know." She sighed. "Just be careful about Edward; everything aside that I said before, I don't think I fully trust him yet."

I gave her a curious look, but didn't question further.

* * *

**EPOV**

I flopped back down on the bed again, some of the water from my cup sloshing onto the bed. I didn't take notice and took a large gulp.

I had just gotten back from dinner after getting done talking to Bella. There had been a lot of tears on her part, and I didn't necessarily know how to handle them; I treated her like I would treat Rosalie or Alice. I pulled her into a hug, even set her on my lap, and held her there, whispering words of comfort to her.

_~Flashback~_

_"Shhh, it's okay. Everything's okay. You're okay,"__ I was saying. I was rocking her back and forth; not only bringing her comfort, but giving it to myself as well._

_I hated lying to her, making her cry. I felt disgusted with myself right now. I was yelling at her when she should be the one yelling at me. In fact, she was earlier, I just had to stay in character, and pretend that I was not the only one at fault. It wasn't her fault at all; it was entirely all mine._

_A little after she tried to apologize once but failed, she gasped and shot off me carefully and neatly dogging from hitting my head in the process. She drew in a breath before she spoke. __"I'm sorry. I'm not thinking correctly right now. I got your shirt wet."_

_This girl's brain track was going to give me whiplash at some point. _

_My mouth fell open in shock, but I laughed a second later, covering most of my stunned appearance. "I don't care about my shirt, Bella. It can dry." She just nodded in response. _

_~End Flashback~_

_I truly hated myself for making her cry. I didn't think she would cry at my snapping at her. I also didn't know why she wanted to be my friend after she came out of the bathroom. I accepted because I wanted to get to know her some more; and if she was willing to become my friend then I would become more than willing to comply. _

_I thought she had a nice personality to herself when I met her in the forest, but I was wrong; she had a great one. It was so easy to get lost in a conversation with her, and I would be just as content to look into her eyes, a deep chocolate brown color, and listen to her talk for hours._

_~Flashback~_

_"What about you, Edward, haven't you ever tripped? _Stumbled_,__ at the least?" Bella asked incredulous._

_I shook my head, a starting of a smile starting on my face for about the hundredth time this night so far. I looked up at her from the down position my head was in. She was so animated at this moment, so light, happy._

_I did that to her; made her feel that way._

_It made the smile on my face widened unconsciously._

_"It's true. I've never tripped before," I laughed. Her happiness was infecting me at the moment; I couldn't control it-and I didn't think I wanted to, even if I could. Her smile became wider, making mine reciprocate, and kept going until we were full out grinning at each other. _

_~End Flashback~_

I lay back on my pillow, setting my cup on the table next to the bad. I closed my eyes, replaying the memories over and over again until I fell into a peaceful sleep.

My dream that night was that of what I kept reliving over and over again. It was safe to say that it was a peaceful night.

And the first I dreamt of Princess Bella Swan out of many.

* * *

**A/N: How'd you like it? Who do you think the other girls interviewing might be? Does Bella hold a grudge against Edward for making her cry? What does Esme really think of Edward and why did she act like that? An upcoming ball? Will Bella's clumsiness make its presence? Or is she going to work on it like she promised Esme? Did Edward explain himself enough?**

**Questions you might have, and more, that will be answered in later chapters. So stay tuned!**

**There you part of Edward's take on what happened in the lounge room. I'm not sure if I should put more explanation on what he did and why he did it. A little help, please? **

**~Cynthia~**


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